It's Time for a Refresh at the Editor’s Desk

After eight insight-packed years with Industry Insider and more than four decades in journalism, I retired this week as executive editor. I’m excited for the future of this publication, this company and the gov tech industry as a whole, and I’m very bullish on my successor.

Taking over is Eyragon Eidam, a career journalist who will write, edit and curate the content for the thrice-weekly newsletter and website. Eyragon joined Industry Insider’s sister publication, Government Technology*, in 2015 and came to Insider in February. We worked together previously in the newspaper industry, and Eyragon — a Sacramento-area resident with a deep background in journalism — has always impressed me with his thoughtful approach, his snappy writing and his healthy trust-but-verify approach to our craft.

Under Eyragon’s leadership, Industry Insider will continue covering the news, hosting industry briefings and providing the platform for thought leadership that has kept California’s SLED sector in the forefront nationally. As managing editor, he will continue pushing the boundaries of storytelling through the use of video, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

The publication will remain under the purview of career journalist Ben Miller, associate editor for Government Technology, the mothership for Industry Insider. Ben is a detail-oriented editor who has a knack for words as well as technology. As one colleague said, “Ben can turn an Excel spreadsheet into a newsletter.”

For me, as a relative latecomer to tech journalism, working with Ben and Eyragon has taught me new skills, and it’s been challenging, humbling and rejuvenating all at once. In this job, I’ve made friends and been influenced by people — CIOs, public information officers, CEOs, VPs and account reps — and will always be grateful to have finished out my career on such a high note.

In my newspaper career, I had opportunities to experience things money can’t buy. I flew in a Blue Angels jet (and even took the joystick and put us through a barrel roll); attended autopsies and went through the firefighter academy; covered President Ronald Reagan; and dined with the tuxedoed D.C. swells at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

But perhaps the most heart-pounding moment of my career came shortly after I joined this company and was asked to serve as moderator for my first Industry Insider members’ briefing. In a room with 225 savvy vendors and CIOs watching and listening to me, I adroitly demonstrated just how little I knew about technology. So here’s a tip of the hat to Joe Morris, now e.Republic’s* chief innovation officer, for taking a chance on hiring me eight years ago and for patiently explaining to me the difference between a CIO, a BCP and an RFP.

I’ll keep feeding my writing addiction with side projects, and I’m going to spend a lot more time sculpting clay heads — another activity that I discovered late in my career. And I'll remain active and connected on LinkedIn.

Meanwhile, Eyragon and Ben will keep the news machine humming, so please keep the news tips and story ideas flowing. To our subscribers and supporters in the industry, thank you for your support. And to those in the public sector, thank you for your service.

*Industry Insider — California and Government Technology are both part of e.Republic.