The passage of time remains one of life’s mysteries. Try as we might to understand why it passes so indeterminably slowly when we are young and then seems to fly as we age, there is no easy answer. And, no matter how hard we may want to slow it down, or speed it up, time marches to its own drummer.
These days, as technology continues to impact our lives in dramatic ways, time seems to march even faster — almost at warp speed. Wasn’t it just the start of 2016? So, when December suddenly arrives on our doorstep, it’s not surprising that we are left to ask ourselves ‘Where did the year go?’
Where indeed? With December’s sudden arrival, we are once again proud to salute this year’s stellar crop of Pinnacle Award winners, a total of 10 individuals and companies that are impacting the foodservice and hospitality landscape in significant ways. Undoubtedly, they too are left to wonder how the year passed so quickly. Perhaps they were too busy innovating, introducing new elements to their businesses or growing at such a fast clip that they just didn’t notice it slipping between their fingers. Clearly, time changes us, sometimes imperceptibly; sometimes in obvious ways. But, hopefully through the captive hands of time, we also grow and evolve.
At KML, the growth and evolution continues full-force as we get set to announce several exciting new initiatives. First off, I’m proud to announce that late last year, after more than three decades of working and growing at KML, I became majority owner of the almost 50-year old media company. Together with founder Mitch Kostuch’s daughter Lynn, we now form the new ownership of KML.
Sadly, Mitch’s passing two years ago left a great void in the company, but it also set the stage for the next step in the company’s evolution and growth. And, knowing Mitch, he would be happy to see that his daughter Lynn and I are at the helm, continuing his great legacy and his dream. As the forward-thinking entrepreneur that he was, were he still alive, Mitch would be thrilled to see the innumerable changes we’ve introduced in the new past two years, including new digital product offerings, new conferences and the adaptation of new technology.
Now, after two years of change, the KML team is set for more. Early in 2017, we will be unveiling a new tiered membership club that will allow you to choose what kind of information is most important to you and customize it to suit what you need to run your business.
You can still select from either the print or digital options, but in the new year, through exclusive benefits offered as a member of our new KEY by KML membership club, you’ll be able to access a slew of new features such as webinars, podcasts, aggregate content, special research reports, video interviews, native content, special contests, unrestricted access to web-only exclusive features and White Papers, as well as special discounts on all the KML events we produce — from the Icons and Innovators series to the Pinnacle Awards, to several new conferences launched this past year, including the Canadian Foodservice Summit, the Housekeeping Forum and more.
By becoming a KEY by KML member, you will be able to tap into a variety of offerings from our print, digital and events pillars that will enhance and broaden your reader experience. Over the next few weeks, we will be letting you know more about this new way of consuming content, bringing us to the next step of our continued evolution as a true media company.
For now, what I can tell you is that KEY by KML will open new doors and new opportunities for you — our industry partner, giving you access to more essential information than ever before. And, as we all know, in today’s information age, content is the true currency. Hand-in-hand with these changes, we will also be unveiling our refreshed and updated websites for both our magazine brands, as well as the KML corporate site.
And, just in time to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, we are also thrilled to announce a series of initiatives, including the launch of Oh Canada!, a six-part series highlighting the varied regional cuisines of our fabulous nation, as well as #KMLMadeinCanada, an integrated photo contest that will give our readers a chance to submit, via Instragram, great photography of the iconic products, places and people that are uniquely Canadian — while having the opportunity to win a collection of great prizes that will allow them to experience Canada in unique and exciting ways.
From January to October, 2017, 10 winning entries will be chosen for F&H magazine and Hotelier magazine for a total of 150 pictures. From this stellar collection of original Canadian photos, which will be showcased on all our social-media platforms and on the pages of our magazines, our jury of judges will choose the top-10 winning photos for both magazines that reflect Canada’s spirit and varied portfolio of products. At next year’s Pinnacle Awards, we will celebrate the winners of this important contest and also salute the iconic figures who have been instrumental to the growth of Canadian cuisine and hospitality through another exciting initiative that would make Mitch Kostuch very proud — the KML Canadian Hall of Fame.
Time doesn’t stand still and neither do we. As the new majority owner of KML, rest assured that we will continue to grow, to evolve and to impact your business. It’s a commitment I, and our entire team, take seriously.
On behalf of all of us at KML, here’s to a fabulous sesquicentennial for this great country we call home, and, as we head into the holidays, here’s to a season filled with health, happiness and, always, a touch of magic.
