Well, we made it past the rumored end of the world. I’m glad we did, because 2013 is a big year for Casino Enterprise Management. We have many exciting milestones, new offerings and initiatives to share with you. One that we are most excited about is the celebration of our 10-year anniversary. Can you believe our very first issue debuted 10 years ago in January 2003?! Boy, have we evolved. Looking back at our history, we are so proud of where we came from and where we are today.
Many of our initial contributors still work with us and we are so grateful for their continued support. But what’s also exciting is how much we’ve grown. We debut new articles from new authors almost every month, and our editorial advisory board is growing through new professional relationships.
While we’ve witnessed significant changes in the industry and our publication through these 10 years, our core values and goals are the same as they were back in 2003. We’re committed to producing the very best gaming industry trade journal out there and bringing you real news you can use. We do this by running articles from the best thought leaders in our industry, who provide practical advice and best practice tips. We hope you like them as much as we do!
But as you likely noticed, the platforms by which we do this have grown with us. Now, beyond the pages of the print magazine, we offer best-of-breed content in many other ways. From our CEM Audio Edge Internet talk radio station, to our educational and newsworthy video coverage, to our comprehensive website and social media channels, our readers, listeners, viewers and fans can find us virtually everywhere.
CEM Audio Edge started out strong and only continues to grow. We started doing regular podcasts in 2010, and in 2011 we upgraded our offering to a live show that allows listeners to call in and ask questions to our guests. In 2011, we introduced two special guest hosts in addition to our own staff-hosted shows. Brooke Dunn and Valerie Red-Horse each have their own monthly show—Casino Talk and Native American Gaming, respectively—during which they bring you the latest news and analysis of the industry’s hottest issues. Both are experts themselves, and we’re thrilled they’ve chosen to work with us to get their message across to our audience.
One initiative we’re particularly proud of here at CEM is the set of awards series we host. The first, our Great Women of Gaming, was a smash success from the beginning, and has continued to be since. Then shortly after was our Slot Floor Technology Awards. We evolved throughout the years to then launch two more series, one for the hospitality industry and another for table games. You can continue to look to us to find out about the best products and people in our industry.
There’s no doubt about it—this publication has come a long way. It started as a humble operation in a small pole barn, a mere outbuilding at our publisher’s family farm, and has flourished into a true multimedia company. It’s become what we think is the best darn casino trade magazine—and more—out there.
We’re not sure exactly what’s in the cards for the industry down the road, but we are positive you can expect much more from us. We want you to be part of our future with any content or insight you have. So if you’ve got a great idea, help shape CEM’s future and give us a call today to tell us about it.
In 10 more years, we are sure we’ll have much more exciting things to reflect on, so stay tuned. Thanks to all who have worked with us over the last decade and will continue to do so in the next one. It’s been a wonderful ride so far and we very much look forward to letting the good times roll.