Bringing You Another Eventful Year
Editorial
BusinessWest celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and that’s worth celebrating — so we did, with a special issue in May that looked back on how things have changed — and, in some ways, how they’ve stayed the same — in fields like banking, construction, education, technology, and more.
But as the calendar turns to 2025 — well into our 41st year of delivering key business news, trends, profiles, and much more to our readers — business leaders are far more focused on what’s ahead, not what’s behind, as they should be.
While they’re undoubtedly split on the results of the Nov. 5 election — some cheering the shift in power in Washington, some apprehensive of the policy changes ahead — any federal leadership change poses questions that won’t be answered immediately. Meanwhile, the economy continues to pose a mixed bag of good (still-healthy unemployment rates) and bad (still-pesky inflation, interest rates, and a housing shortage), all of which lend an unsettled element to the immediate future.
What is more certain is that BusinessWest will continue to reflect the current times, trends, and stories from a local perspective — that is, through the eyes, minds, and experiences of business owners and economic experts throughout the 413.
In the Jan. 6 issue, we’ll present our annual Economic Outlook, this year featuring the voices of dozens of regional business leaders from many different sectors. And on Jan. 20, we’ll reveal our 29th annual Top Entrepreneur, the owner of a local chain that’s pressing forward — and beyond this region — in some intriguing ways.
Two issues after that, we’ll unveil our 17th annual class of Difference Makers, the first of four very popular recognition programs throughout 2025, along with 40 Under Forty in April, Healthcare Heroes in September, and Women of Impact in October. BusinessWest accepts nominations for all four programs all year long.
This year will also bring a broader mix of feature stories, as well as returning favorites like each issue’s Community Spotlight, shedding light on economic development, municipal projects, tourism, and quality of life in individual cities and towns; and the quarterly Where Are They Now? — each installment visiting with a past winner of one of the four awards mentioned earlier, detailing how their life and career have evolved since. All that is, of course, on top of our regular coverage of dozens of industries.
And look for our annual Book of Lists early in the year as well, a comprehensive resource guide to the businesses and sectors that drive this region’s economic engine.
As 2025 takes shape, we’re excited to bring all that, and more, to you — on the page, at our recognition events, and at businesswest.com. Happy New Year.
