This summer, I had the pleasure of collaborating with friend and next-door neighbor Joe Crosetto to write a story about the work that his firm, Interactive Building Solutions (IBS), is involved in: the make-over of the Realtor Building in downtown Chicago. It is located at 430 N. Michigan Avenue, where the National Association of Realtors (NAR) […]
Category Archives: Journalism
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”–Wayne Gretzky That philosophy surfaced on the PR front last week with a news release providing insights and counsel on snow and ice management. The release had been in the works for over a week for McAdam Landscaping, a longtime Inside Edge […]
“Unlike many other sectors of our economy, construction has remained largely rooted in the 20th century as leaders have resisted technological changes that have transformed the way other industries do business.” That’s the opening line in my summary this week for ULI Chicago’s panel discussion, “Tech and Modular Construction: Disrupting the Traditional Development Process.” The […]
They were born outside the United States, made their way to this country many years ago and found a home in Oak Park before dying recently at the age of 77. One is internationally renowned and beloved actor John Mahoney. He died while in hospice care on Sunday, February 4th. The other is Sergio Quiano, […]
A package in hand, the young woman makes her way into The Washington Post newsroom. She wanders a bit, looks around uncertainly, then fixes her attention on a man who is among the many staffers who are banging away at their typewriters. “Are you someone important?” she asks, interrupting him in the midst of his […]
When our heroes meet, and even exceed, our naively high expectations, it’s a wonderful thing. In November 1985, as a high school senior in suburban Boston, I had been reading Frank Deford‘s fabulous work at Sports Illustrated for seven years already. No doubt, it played a role in steering me into a journalism career, which […]
It was a day of distraction and anticipation, followed by a beaming burst of hope, which gave way to stomach-churning optimism, only to have it descend into deja vu despair. And then, of course, the grounds crew pushed the tarp onto the playing field at rainy Progressive Field in Cleveland. I nestled into a (relatively) […]
Only days away from retiring after a 67-year broadcasting career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, Vin Scully has possessed many qualities that have made him one of the most respected and admired announcers in Major League Baseball history. Among those traits has been his ability to let history unfold without foisting commentary on […]
Although Nike popularized the notion of “Just Do It,” the principle of getting going—and getting out of your own way in the process—cuts across so many aspects of life. In writing, one of the best ways to “just write it” is to begin with a prompt. It’s sort of the brainstorming equivalent of jumping jacks, […]
Over the years, as I have hired people to work on client projects, one of the quickest ways I can weed out weak story-tellers from the strong is to see what they do with “a layup.” In other words, when there’s an easy shot at exploring a creative way to tell a story, does the […]