Welcome Spring! For all of us winter-weary, COVID-crushed warriors throughout the U.S. and Canada, the entrance of this season of rebirth is a treat for mind, body, heart, and soul. Especially, this year, as we navigate the roller coaster of lifestyle restrictions – when it seems our days and jobs are defined by what is partially open, closed, re-opening, curbside only… We can finally say “hello” to warmer weather, after snowstorms migrated farther south than they had any business doing and frost is hopefully done wreaking havoc with the tender fruit blossoms we rely on for fruit and, yes, wine.
Something else we’re greeting, literally, with open arms is the COVID-19 vaccine. Whether it’s Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or one-shot J&J, those who have had their shot(s) are feeling relief and millions of others have joined the queue for their dose. That being said, many of my interviews with execs and city leaders were postponed over the last month, due to temporary vaccination reactions. In fact, several of our Business View Team (myself included) suffered after-effects that put us out of commission for a day or more. But, I have to say, the relatively minor and short-lived discomfort is definitely worth it if it means we can get to the tail end of this pandemic and back to the business of living!
Our May issue of Business View North America is punctuated with stories of renewal and growth. In the case of Regional Airports that meant taking advantage of pandemic-related downtime to fast-forward much needed upgrades. Modern Aviation has spearheaded those efforts in their exceptional FBO facilities, while Columbia, Cortez Municipal, Greeley-Weld County, Indianapolis Executive, Lafayette Regional, and Manassas Regional airports all have positive news to share. Manufacturing is rolling along well in the Wood Products sector, as evidenced by Port Hawkesbury Paper in Nova Scotia, Boa-Franc in Quebec, and Kop-Coat out of Pittsburgh, PA. Since summer is just around the corner, we showcase how Memphis Pool and the Master Pools Guild are deep-diving into the outdoor living marketspace.
The renaissance continues in this month’s edition of Business View Civil & Municipal, where 14 communities relate their visionary near-term and long-term plans. Who knew “Sustainability” and “Infrastructure” could be so exciting! Well, St. Albans, Vermont; Paragould, Arkansas; Mitchell, South Dakota; Balch Springs, Texas; Portage la Prairie, Manitoba; and the Village of Patchogue, New York are just a few with surprising tales to tell. And special credit goes to CIMCON for lighting up our world with the latest in smart city illumination technologies.
All at your fingertips, my friends. Scroll at will and enjoy the read!
Editor in Chief
Lorie Lee Steiner
