Bill Peterson's heart was big enough for us all
By David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, September 23, 2001
Bill Peterson was the father of Furniture/Today's editorial department. He also was a father figure to dozens of writers, editors, researchers and graphics people who worked with him in his remarkable 15-year career at the industry's business newspaper.
He began by writing and editing every word that went in the paper, before he hired Henry Howard, now retired, as managing editor. In those early years the paper came out every other week, but there were still pages and pages to fill. As the dream that Bill and Steve Pond nurtured took hold and we began growing, Bill mentored those who joined him in filling the news columns of Furniture/Today.
I was fortunate to be among those who benefited from his wise counsel and his personal support. Bill hired me and launched my career in the furniture industry. More importantly, he cared for me and my family.
Caring was one of Bill's greatest qualities. He cared deeply for the furniture industry that gave him a happy professional home. He cared for the manufacturers, retailers and suppliers whose business we reported on. He cared for the manufacturers' sales representatives and the retail salespeople.
His heart was big enough to care for all those people in the industry, and to still have plenty of care and compassion for those of us who worked with him at Furniture/Today. He touched so many of us, in so many wonderful ways. We owe him our careers. We are better journalists and better people for the time we spent with him.
I see the faces of those Bill mentored. His influence extended far beyond Furniture/Today. Lester Craft, who worked closely with Bill to build Furniture/Today's editorial department to prominence, now is editor of Line 56 in Los Angeles. Kim Shaver is helping Hooker Furniture build its brand and better serve consumers. Jackie Hirschhaut and Cindy Sheaffer are helping the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. raise the industry's profile with consumers and the trade. Tom Prato has a key role at Bassett. So does Dave Scarangella at Rowe. That list goes on.
I also see the faces of colleagues at Furniture/Today. There are still many of us here who worked directly with Bill: Gary James, editor of SoHo Today, Kay Anderson, director of market research, Tony Bengel, senior editor, Vicky Jarrett, special projects editor, Gary Evans, business editor, and Jay McIntosh, news editor. That list, too, goes on.
The things that Bill stood for — fairness, accuracy and integrity — will always drive the daily decisions that we make in editorial. One of Bill's greatest contributions was creating a culture of professionalism that we have passed on from employee to employee over the years. Bill gave Furniture/Today a professional, caring soul. We will always carry his light with us.
Now it is time to say goodbye. Well done, Bill. You taught us much about furniture. You taught us even more about life.
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