Reflections of an editor

This will be my last column as editor of Federal Times, a publication I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of for the last 16 years.

I will step down this month to launch my own venture. Happily, I will remain connected to Federal Times as a contributing editor, continuing my column and doing other special projects.

So forgive me if I'm in a reflective mood.

In my time here, a lot has happened in the federal world, and we covered it all: 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan, creation of the Homeland Security Department, Katrina, countless federal scandals, the Healthcare.gov fiasco, the Postal Service's financial crisis, sequestration, furloughs, Snowden, the Navy Yard shooting, and the government shutdown, among others.

And we've covered many slower-moving stories as well: IT modernization, acquisition reform, the retirement wave, downsizing, pay for performance, the budget crunch, the ongoing fight over federal pay and benefits, the decline of CFC, the advent of cybersecurity, and many more.

I have also strived — not always consistently, I'll admit — to make sure Federal Times covers uplifting news as well by focusing on federal public servants who are doing great things and making a difference in the lives of others, whether they are championing innovative approaches to serving veterans, rebuilding services to Gulf Coast residents after Katrina, or finding better, more efficient ways of performing government functions.

I will step down as editor very appreciative of many things. One is the many talented people I've worked with over the years who made Federal Times the well-respected brand it is today.

Another is the federal community we serve. I have been impressed, and often inspired, by the talented, committed and passionate people I've met over the years, both in government and industry, who do remarkable things to improve the world around them.

It's truly been an honor to serve this community with news and information that I hope has been relevant and compelling.

Steve Watkins

Editor