August 16, 2019 / Sports Collectors Digest 9
B
y thetimeyou
readthisLeading
OffcolumnI will
havemovedonfromthe
positionofbeingeditorof
SportsCollectorsDigest.
Withthatbeingsaid,I amsurea lotof
questionsarecomingtoyourminds.I will
trymybesttoanswerthosequestions,as
wellassetyoumindsat ease.
Assomeofyouareprobablyaware,
F+WMedia,thecompanythatowned
SCD,filedChapter 11 bankruptcyin
March.Theintentofthebankruptcyfiling
wastokeepthecompanyoperatingand
eventuallysellthecompanyviaauction.
Thatauctiontookplaceinmid-June,
andtheportionofF+WMediathat
containedSCDwaspurchasedbyActive
InterestMedia(AIM).Youcanreadmore
aboutthepurchasebyAIMonpage13.
Throughoutthiswholeprocess,it was
myintenttoridethesaleprocessoutto
theendwiththehopethatSCDwouldbe
purchasedbya companythatwouldcon-
tinuetopublishthemagazine.Asit turns
out,thatis exactlywhathappened.Once
thesalewasfinalized,I wasofferedthe
opportunitytostayonaseditorofSCD,
whichI didaccept.
Throughouttheentirebankruptcy
process,though,I monitoredthejobmar-
ketinmygeographicareabecauseofthe
uncertaintysurroundingthebankruptcy
proceedings.I didn’tactivelypursue
anotherjob,butI didapplyfora fewinan
efforttobeproactive.
Afterthesalewasfinalizedbythe
bankruptcycourt,andafterI hadaccepted
theofferfromAIMtocontinueonas
editorofSCD, a jobthatI hadappliedfor
wasofferedtome.
Afterdiscussingtheoptionswithmy
wife,wedecidedthenewopportunity
beingpresentedtomewastoogoodto
passup,sothedecisionwasmadeforme
toleaveaseditorofSCDandtoacceptthe
newjobthatwasofferedtome.Without
goingintotoomanydetails,I amnotonly
leavingSCD, butI amleavingtheentire
publishingindustry.It wasnotaneasy
decisiontomake,butmynewjobwill
providemyfamilyandI themostsecurity
forthefuture.
EventhoughI knowit is therightde-
cisiontoleaveSCD, it is stilldifficult.Not
a lotofpeoplecansaythattheywereable
tomakea livingworkinginanindustry
thattheyfirstgotinvolvedinwhenthey
werea kid.Butthat’sexactlywhatI was
abletodo.
WhowouldhavethoughtthatwhenI
purchasedmyfirstpackofbaseballcards
intheearly1980sthatonedayI wouldbe
coveringtheHobbyforoneofthemost
respectedcollectiblespublicationsavail-
able.I feelblessedandthankfultohave
hadthatopportunity.
I hopethereadersofSCDenjoyedmy
ramblingsinthisLeadingOffcolumnthe
lasttwoandhalfyears.I willmisssharing
myHobbyexperienceswithallofyouin
thefuture.
Movingforward,I havebeentoldthat
AIMplanstocontinuepublishingSCD,
anda searchis currentlybeingconducted
tofinda neweditor.Whilethatsearchis
takingplace,PaulKennedywilloversee
SCDonaninterimbasis.Hecanbecon-
tactedat [email protected].
Withoutthisotherjobopportunity
beingpresentedtome,I wouldhavebeen
happytocontinueonastheeditorofSCD.
I thinkAIMpurchasingSCDwillprovide
it,andtheotherF+WMediatitlesit
purchased,withstabilitythatis neededfor
futuregrowth.
So,eventhoughthisis goodbyefrom
me,alsoconsiderit a newbeginningfor
themagazine.
I wishyouallnothingbutthebestin
thefuture.◆
BertLehmanis theeditorofSCD.
Farewell & new beginnings
by BertLehman
ncluding the latest news, show
overage and market trends, as
well as our exclusive SCD
Auction Database pricing.
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AUCTION NAME OPENING CLOSING
Goldin Auctions Sports Open Aug. 1
Clean Sweep Auctions Sports Open Aug. 7-
Memory Lane Summer Rarities Auction Open Aug. 10
Heritage Sports Platinum Night Open Aug. 17-
REA Sports Open Aug. 18
Heritage Sports Photos Open Aug. 23
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