The Christmas holidays, from the lighting of the tree to the last bells of the New Year, are an ideal time for reflection, introspection and gratitude. We at SNEWS® have much for which we are thankful – and our subscribers are a part of that.

Three years ago, on Dec. 21, 2007, three owners of SNEWS® -- Michael Hodgson, Therese Iknoian, and Gene Treacy – realized a real-life sugarplum fairy dream of sorts by selling a business they had owned since 2002. We -- Michael and Therese -- continued on, now as employees for the new parent company, Active Interest Media, while Gene embarked on new adventures.

There was lots of promise, and the future looked so very exciting and bright.

And then the market crashed.

During the last three years, there have been ups and downs and plenty of challenge – or opportunity depending on how you prefer to look at life. That applied to us as well as the industries we cover and our friends in them. With these global events, life at SNEWS didn’t turn out quite as we envisioned when we first sold, but we have shouldered on, grown, and even prospered personally and professionally because of friends, family and a wide support network.

And so as we look back on three years as AIM employees, as well as ahead to the promise of a very exciting and fulfilling 2011 and beyond, we want to say thank you. Not only to the entire family at AIM, but also to every single last SNEWS subscriber and reader, past and present.

Our supporters and subscribers are too many to name. But without your continued belief in SNEWS, we’d be writing for ourselves and our parents.

We feel blessed to be allowed to be a part of the lives of all of you – friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues.

Best wishes, happy holidays, a here's to a successful and healthful New Year for us all.

--Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian.