Steve Curd-052008

"Deb Calvert (president of People First Productivity Solutions) spent a week at the Examiner prior to my arrival as publisher in February of 2007. Her task was to analyze our business from top to bottom. I spent about a month on the job before I read Deb’s detailed report about our business. What I found was simply astonishing. Her comprehensive analysis provided me with more information than I had gathered in my first thirty days. She did it in five. Not only was she ‘dead on’ with her observations, she provided me with a blueprint for success that we have followed since day one. Through March of 2008, we are $100,000 ahead of prior year’s cash flow. Advertising revenues are up 12% and expenses are under control. Without Deb’s guidance, we would not be this far along in such a short period of time. Deb has a keen understanding of the newspaper business. She knows systems, but most importantly, she knows people."