As we enter the holiday season, it becomes a time to reflect on the past year and its highlights.  Even though this is often a season of light and joy, it is also a well-known fact that it can be a time of anxiety, melancholy, and even depression.  Well, I’m presenting you with two items this month that should help to dispel any signs of the seasonal doldrums you might be experiencing.  Both are very upbeat, good-news topics to think about as we come to the end of the year.

First, I bring you this issue’s theme, articles highlighting the employment services industry.  These businesses provide both part-time and full-time staffing; they help secure temporary workers, and help you in your search for full-time employees to fill your business’ open positions.  Like many of you, we here at The Greater Lansing Business Monthly have had several occasions to use their services and to realize how important they are to our Lansing-area economy.  Manpower, a long-standing member of our business community, is featured on our cover.  They are longtime friends of this magazine, too, having advertised with us since the first issue over 20 years ago.  We’re proud to have them as business partners, along with other similar businesses such as those we’ve included this month.

The next depression-chaser item is a note about our participation, with the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Grand River Connection, in a very special evening of recognition.  As one of the sponsors of the 10 Over the Next 10 award ceremony, we are excited about the energy these young people will bring to our local economy.  The 10 young people honored, and the finalists, are people worthy of watching during the next 10 years, because they exude the qualities of leadership that point to their becoming first-rate assets to the Lansing-area community.  Our good friends Jason Colthorp and Beth Shane were excellent emcees, and the participants’ individual stories gave me a feeling of confidence as I thought ahead to their upcoming future contributions.

So, there you are:  some of that seasonal joy I mentioned earlier, perhaps setting the stage for appreciating this year’s accomplishments and preparing us for next year’s challenges.  All of us at The Greater Lansing Business Monthly wish you a happy holiday season—and we always wish you a very prosperous month.

		Chris Holman Publisher