Editor’s note

This week we say goodbye to Illinois Times publisher Sharon Whalen, who is relocating to Sarasota, Fla. Ten years ago I asked her to help me take back the paper and build it up again after it had almost slipped away. She came in as a temporary consultant but stayed on to pour her heart and soul into IT. As publisher, she managed the business side with an understanding that newspapering is more than a business; it’s a mission, a calling, a cause. On most days strong ad sales undergird that cause, while sharp news makes the sales job easier. But on those occasions when a news story was almost certain to make an advertiser go away, Sharon never flinched – the news came first. That kind of journalist’s publisher is increasingly rare.

As a civic activist, Sharon has contributed to Springfield beyond Illinois Times. For years she led the Springfield in Bloom campaign in association with Springfield Green. She was among the founders of the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association and the Capital Area Independent Business Association, which taught us all to say, “Eat, drink, shop, think, local first!” She’s been one of the leaders of the Pecha Kucha series, showcasing Springfield people doing interesting things.

In short, she’s been a treasure. We’ll miss her much. –Fletcher Farrar, editor