July 1996 Publisher's Note

A letter to our readers and our advertisers
July 1996 Publisher’s Note

Here it is. Finally. The premier issue of MODE is no longer a six year dream. I want to take a few minutes to express some important concerns about MODE, and I hope that you will read them and agree. I want to tell you who I am, why I am doing this, and what you can expect. Most of all I want to thank many of you for your support.

My name is Scot Giambalvo (no relation to the York car dealer, at least none that I know of) and I have been publishing newsprint tabloid magazines for nearly 10 years. I am not egotistical, (though the fact that I may be crazy is often confused with egotistical behavior) I am not rich, and I am not a snake oil salesman. I am a publisher. I have brought publications of business, entertainment, sports, computers, and Christianity to life, and I’ve seen a few of them die. Publishing is a tough business, ask any of my competitors, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. Ask our Senior Editor. I have enjoyed, to the highest degree, publishing magazines for other people and may have continued to do so for many years if I had not moved to Harrisburg. When my wife was offered a position with her company here in Harrisburg, we decided to leave our home in Virginia, and start anew.

I came to Harrisburg with a full compliment of publishing clients spread across the east coast.
I have since surrendered them all to other capable hands. Instead of working again for someone else, my wife and I decided to resurrect a project from 1990 called MODE. The original MODE concept was strictly entertainment, but at times it seemed trivial. It desperately needed to have purpose.

Our 1996 reincarnation presents you the reader with cool stuff about business and entertainment. Less trivial (we hope) because we present information that is both useful in a business capacity, and helpful in an entertainment manner. When I say cool stuff, I mean information that is interesting while being easy to understand and even a little humorous at times. Our concept of business information is almost totally "how-to" oriented, because that’s where we feel the average professional and small business owner can benefit the most. The entertainment side of MODE will usually explore the less traveled path, (don’t hold me to that) attempting to bring you a new perspective on ways to spend your free time.

This is the premier issue. I’ve been here before, and in the next issue I’ll tell you exactly how many typographic errors were pointed out to me, and how many people said it could have been done much better. But what I want to share with you now is my respect for the other publications of Harrisburg. This is a unique city for me. It is the first where almost all of the local publications are start-up success stories. I admire and applaud the other publishers here in Harrisburg for their stamina and capability. I ask you, my readers, to be patient as I learn from my mistakes. I pray that someday MODE will become a staple for you; something you look forward to (with a smile) each month.

Now, I want to thank a few folks. I want to thank my wife for putting up with my insanity. I love you. I want to thank my mother for her generosity over the years, she has taught me valuable lessons. I want to thank the staff and supporting consultants that helped plow through our market data and build such a strong publication. Finally I want to thank each and every one of our charter advertisers. Thank you for believing in me and in MODE. I promise to return your support and faith in every way possible.

My dear readers, I hope you love MODE as much as I do. I hope you take heed to my invitation to give comments and make suggestions. This paper is for you and will grow in whatever direction you wish.

Sincerely,

The Publisher