Tampa Time

My travels have brought me back to Florida for the second time this year, only this time I am in Tampa for the 10th Annual Ag Media Summit (AMS).

This is my fourth AMS, second as a professional. I began coming to AMS as an ACT student. AMS is the combined meetings of the Livestock Publications Council, American Agricultural Editors Association and ABM AgriCouncil, and the student organization Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. It just so happened that the first AMS I ever attended was held here at the Saddlebrook Resort in 2004. I was working that summer as an intern for the High Plains Journal in Dodge City, Kan. Since then, I've been to the conference in Portland, Oregon, and Louisville, Ky.

AMS is by far the best conference I've ever attended (and the most fun!) The connections I made at this meeting as a college student have lasted throughout my career, and I always look forward to seeing everyone again. It's like a family reunion. In fact, I think that's this year's slogan for AMS. This industry is unique in that it's small enough to where we all know one another, but large enough to make a difference in the world.

AMS is a group of ag writers, editors, sales people, publishers, organization representatives, business owners, etc., and one thing is for certain - they love to have a good time.

Unfortunately, I didn't bring my cable to upload pictures with, so I will have to share those when I get back to Lubbock. All the pictures are basically of us having fun by the 50,000 gallon "super pool" and "networking" with colleagues.

Gotta run to the opening of the trade show. I hear there's wine and tasty eats. Stay tuned.