In the newspaper business, our schedule is dictated by press deadlines. Right when we finish one deadline, the countdown to the next one begins immediately.
Over the course of 35 years of working for the Fillmore County Journal, Sherry Hines has successfully hit more than 1,800 deadlines. That’s truly astounding!
More than a year ago, she shared with her Journal family that she wanted to retire within the next year. That moment arrived this past week.
When Amanda and I purchased the newspaper, Sherry had been with the company since 1986. Keep in mind, this newspaper started in 1985. So, she has been a part of this venture from the onset. She has worked with three different owners. Dick and Esther Kelly started the newspaper from scratch, owning it for 12 years until they sold it to John and Patricia Torgrimson in 1997. Then in 2009, my wife and I purchased the Fillmore County Journal from Torgrimsons.
Sherry’s legacy
Every job at the newspaper is important. Graphic design, reporting, editing, web development, delivery, accounting, and of course, advertising sales.
Sherry Hines’ role with the company has been extremely important because her job has been one of service to others. She has been a tremendous relationship-builder. A bridge-builder, if you will.
She has spent the past 35 years speaking with community leaders and business owners, discussing the best ways to stimulate economic growth. She has helped people generate results by listening and engaging conversations full of creativity. Our team has always enjoyed when she’d tell us about how pleased a community or individual business was with how an advertising campaign generated a greater response than anticipated. That’s what we always strive to accomplish.
Yes, Sherry sold ads. But, it was much more than that. She continuously worked toward creating a connection between the Journal audience and advertisers.
And, she has always thanked members of her Journal family for their contributions to the success of the newspaper. She has thanked the graphic design team for creating outstanding ads. She has thanked Paul Trende for his fantastic dedication to local sports coverage. She has thanked reporters for the articles they have written to help promote communities and businesses in our coverage area. That, right there, is service above self. Sherry has always thought of others before herself. We’ve been blessed with her leadership, integrity and inspiration for the past 35 years.
All of us at the Fillmore County Journal (her work family) are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Sherry Hines all of these years, and we are happy for her knowing she gets to retire and enjoy time with family.
Sherry, thank you for 35 wonderful years!