My Life as a Gannetteer…. By Jodi Gersh Actually my life as a Gannetteer started even before I joined Gannett… but how far back do I need to go…? I graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. I chose Sociology because of some sage advice from my mother, as I was entering my junior year. She said; “Major in whatever you want, as long as you graduate. Don’t worry about your career or life. That will all work itself out”. Since I loved Sociology, I went for it, not having a clue what I would do once I graduated. It was a good move in terms of education, because I ended up with a very high GPA in my major. Of course, as graduation approached, I realized I might be in trouble. Two friends of mine were starting up a business with a couple other people and asked if I wanted to come on board. I was happy to know I would have a pay check after graduation, so I jumped in. The company was a used car buying service. We would collect the used car inventories of dealerships in the DC metro area, and upload them into a database. From there, we would advertise a website or phone number where you could logon or call to search the database for the make/model/year, etc you wanted. The idea was before it’s time and eventually folded (mostly because dealerships didn’t believe people would search the ‘internet’ for a car). I did however realize I liked working with computers and databases. After that job I decided to become part of the temporary workforce in an attempt to gain as much experience as possible. I hoped this would help me figure out what I wanted to do next. I told the temp agency- anything as long as I can work on computers. I gained experience with various operating systems, databases, technologies, etc. It was fascinating. I found myself in a temp to hire position (which did eventually become full time) where I was an inside sales rep for a computer reseller company. I learned about hardware and software (on paper anyway), and became a certified Microsoft and Novell sales person. I could build a server and license out software. I excelled at this and was our company’s top selling inside sales person. That wasn’t enough for me though. I volunteered to support the website and learned HTML and web programming languages. I also created ads and did some marketing for the company. But it was the sales side that led me to Gannett and USA TODAY. One of my clients was Gannett (and USA TODAY). I started out small, but grew to sell Gannett and USA TODAY many products, including laptops, servers, Cisco equipment, etc. Unfortunately, as Dell became more popular, the days of reselling hardware, or more importantly making any money/commission selling hardware, were dwindling. My company decided to fold the hardware/software side of the business and I was laid off. In one of my last client visits to Gannett (MOC), I announced I would no longer be servicing them. Jack Mundie, Director IT, MOC, said; “You have been one of our best reps, don’t worry Jodi, we will find something for you here”. And thus began my career at Gannett. I met with HR and we discussed the open positions. We tried to find something that would be a good fit. I was very excited about this new adventure. There were a few possibilities, but one stood out- Technology Manager for USA WEEKEND Magazine. It was somewhat of a new position. USA WEEKEND had formally had a technical Editorial staffer, but never an IT manager overseeing all of the technology for USA WEEKEND. The position would also have one direct report, a Systems Analyst position. The VP of Operations at USA WEEKEND wasn‘t certain I was qualified for the position, but was willing to take a chance based on all of the recommendations from within Gannett and USA TODAY. To be honest, I was not qualified based on previous experience or training. But I was passionate and willing to learn. I was ready to absorb everything they could tell me about the business. I met with every department and learned about workflow and existing processes. It doesn’t take a technical person to realize inefficiencies. I saw opportunities for improvement throughout the business and jumped on the chance to make my mark and change the magazine’s workflow by utilizing existing and new technologies. Because it was a new position, the job description wasn’t set in stone. In my first 5 years with USA WEEKEND, I rewrote the description at least once a year and I mean that literally. I kept adding new things and broadening the reach of the role. Working with Gannett and USA TODAY, I maintained a level of IT standards for USA WEEKEND that hadn’t previously existed. In my time at USA WEEKEND, I won multiple ‘Employee of the Month’ awards, along with a President’s Circle Award and a Visionary Award. It meant a tremendous amount to me that I was able to make a difference there. Of course change is part of business. A decision was made to consolidate parts of the business and move USA WEEKEND under USA TODAY’s umbrella. No one really knew what that meant when it was announced. Basically 4 USA WEEKEND departments were moved to USA TODAY (Human Resources, Systems, Production and Finance) in an effort to consolidate and save money. My position as Technology Manager was eliminated. Thus began my trip through USA TODAY, where I am still trying to find a way to make a difference and make my mark. During those years at USA WEEKEND, there were many projects that stood out for me. Some of these I was recognized for, while others, only I know how much time and effort went into. But in the end, I know my years at USA WEEKEND have changed the magazine for the better. I know I instituted processes and developed applications they will continue to use for many years to come. I hope that I can find a role in the future where I can again make a difference like that. I hope I can find a position where, utilizing my experiences and skills, and PASSION, I change the way things are done and make a positive impact on the world (at least the Gannett world for now!!). Memorable USA WEEKEND highlights for me: Creating online interactive Editorial Storylist |