Wayne’s World – Time to transition

By Wayne Litke

Well, what can I say? Strange as it seems, it’s that time (again).
I say that because a little more than a year ago I returned to the News-Times office to work in the ad sales department. I had been out of the news business approximately seven years and had been working as a construction safety officer for most of that time period. It was an interesting experience that provided insight and experience into areas that I had previously reported on, but never dealt with personally from the training and enforcement side of safety. After leaving that world, a position opened in ad sales at the News office, so I returned to familiar territory and my old stomping grounds.
However, this year I found it was time to slow down slightly, so I decided to make an exit (again), and a most pleasant and competent individual has agreed to take the reins. Trisha LaCarte was introduced to readers in the Aug. 13 issue and after working with her for two weeks, I have to say that she has many great attributes. Firstly, she is better looking than the individual she is replacing and has a better sense of humour. She also has new ideas and her experience in both sales and editorial is something not found in many individuals, excluding the person she is replacing. Even in my departure from sales, I am not above shameless self promotion – after all, it’s just advertising personal qualities and attributes.
I feel good knowing advertisers’ needs will be handled well by Trisha, and her appreciation of small towns and horses put her right at home in Maple Creek and southwest Saskatchewan. In fact, I would not be surprised to see a hitching post erected in front of the News office at a future date. Thank you for making her feel welcome and I know people will enjoy getting to know Trisha.
As for me, I am not retiring. I was repeatedly asked that after my last departure and my answer to that question remains the same as before: “I only wish…” I will continue to pen a column and consider future opportunities as they come up. However, I plan to take a little time off and go on a holiday which will likely be shared with readers since I cannot seem to help myself in that regard. I leave the News office knowing it is in good hands, albeit younger and better-looking hands considering they are all female.
However, a hormonal imbalance once again exists at the office as there is an overabundance of estrogen in the atmosphere. I feel confident the women will remember that and continue to do a great job just as they did when I went AWOL for several years. I will share what my wife repeatedly tells me in hopes it will stick in my head: “Behind every great man is a great woman” and in the case of the News office that is very true, but in a plural sense.

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