Honoring those who have contributed to 50 years of success.

• Author: Wiler, Vicki
• Position: INFOCUS: A Message from the Editor

It's a tremendous honor to be at the helm of the records and information management (RIM) profession's premier magazine as it begins its 50th volume year. Throughout the near half century of its existence--first as Records Management Quarterly (1967-1998), then Information Management Journal (1999-2008), and for the past seven years as Information Management--it has consistently provided RIM professionals guidance that has helped them meet their current responsibilities and prepare for the emerging challenges of the business environment. In this anniversary year, several individuals and groups should be recognized for this publication's success.

Records Management Quarterly began in 1967. It replaced Records Review, the first official publication of the American Records Management Association, which merged with the Association of Records Executives and Administrators in 1975 to become what we know now as ARMA International. [Editor's note: The print version of this issue incorrectly stated that the merger occurred in 1966.)

Its editor, William Benedon, CRM, FAI, shepherded the Records Management Quarterly through its first 18 years. Ira Penn, CRM-R, FAI, superbly carried on the Records Management Quarterly tradition for the next 14 years. In a special "50th year" section that begins on page 40, Penn reprises his popular editor's message, "Strokes from the Penn," with his take on the evolution of records management.

1999 marked the beginning of a new era for the magazine. J. Michael Pemberton, Ph.D., CRM, FAI, and Julie Gable, CRM, CDIA, FAI, teamed up as executive editor and associate executive editor with ARMA's director of communications and marketing, Cyndy Launchbaugh, to introduce a wider scope and a name change--to Information Management Journal, a more apt reflection of the broadening scope from records management to RIM. In 2002, the need for content also led to increasing the frequency of the journal from quarterly to...