The parallax view

“It is the obvious which is so difficult to see most of the time. People say ‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face.’ But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?”

~Isaac Asimov

Since March 2008, our cover has featured an interview with an IFAI manufacturer member, nominated by industry peers and association staff, and asked to give us (and you) a unique perspective on how to lead a successful specialty fabrics company in the early 21st century. The focus is on customers, on employees, on innovation, on sustainability, on creativity, on versatility—and on a mix of all of these.

The “Perspective” interviews have always featured real industry professionals working on real industry issues, a sharing of experience and expertise designed to help members and readers solve real industry problems. And since March 2008, the Perspective interviews have been conducted and written by Sigrid Tornquist, a former Review editor and current contract writer with IFAI. To our regret, Sigrid will be moving from magazine work to other types of writing, and this issue’s interview will be her last. She wanted to pass along a message to you with her final installment:

“After 11 years of writing the Perspective article, it is time for me to move on to pursue other opportunities. What an incredible and fulfilling experience this has been! The specialty fabrics industry is filled with creative, hardworking, inspiring people, and it has been my privilege to speak with some of the people who make this industry great. I want to thank those of you I’ve interviewed for trusting me with your stories. And I want to thank those of you who have faithfully read these examples of innovation, initiative and tenacity. I am grateful to all of you, and look forward to reading about the ways you continue to move the industry and your communities forward.” —My best to you! Sigrid Tornquist

We’re also very fortunate in that another contract writer, Jill Lafferty, who has been editing InTents magazine for several years, will be taking over the Perspective articles from Sigrid, beginning with the May issue. I’m looking forward to working with Jill, and to hearing another informed approach to our industry. Two viewpoints are better than one (parallax: the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions), and I have no doubt she’ll demonstrate the same dedication to your stories that Sigrid has always shown. There are still a lot of stories to be told.

We have made a lot of changes to the magazine over the years. I’d like to do some more thorough research on how our industry, and our readership, is changing, and what the magazine should do not only to stay abreast of these changes, but to help lead them. So if you receive a survey from me in the coming months, I hope you’ll share your candid opinions as we move ahead in 2019. Thanks!

If you’d like to nominate a fellow IFAI manufacturer member for coverage in a future “Perspective” article, please contact Galynn Nordstrom, senior editor, at gdnordstrom@ifai.com.