Car auction founder offers thanks to Tribune

This is one in an occasional series of commentaries about the pending closure of the East Valley Tribune and its 118-year history of serving readers. To share your thoughts, memories and comments, write to forum@evtrib.com or newstips@evtrib.com

With the recent announcement of the closing of the East Valley Tribune, I felt it appropriate to provide a tribute.

As a native of Scottsdale and with Barrett-Jackson being a home-grown Arizona company, we have the pleasure of forming great relationships over our nearly 40 years of being in business. And that’s how I have thought of the Tribune and before it, the Scottsdale Progress, over these years. There they have stood, challenging the larger paper in town, and testing and promoting businesses like Barrett-Jackson.

I can’t say that I have always agreed with the coverage or the provided viewpoints. But I have always enjoyed knowing there was an alternative and counterpoint.

Through the years, some of the media’s finest have covered Barrett-Jackson, our journey and our growth. They have created awareness of our endeavors. Now, I would like to return the favor.

Yes, the Tribune as a company recently won a Pulitzer Prize. But it’s the people who are equally deserving that I would like to say thank you to. Folks like Donna Hogan, Bill Bertolino, Ari Cohn, Chris Coppola, Le Templar, Jim Ripley and Mark Scarp, who have covered Barrett-Jackson over the years with diligence and commitment.

A heartfelt “thank you” to each one of you.

Journalists aren’t often considered among the noble professions such as police officers, firefighters and teachers. But they are deserving because their profession is a true labor of love. The pay isn’t great, the hours can be long and the demands and pressures are extremely high. Yet there they stand, nearly all motivated by doing good. They are the guardians of the public lighthouse working to ensure that information is provided to the community.

To celebrate this commitment and their success, Barrett-Jackson is going to honor the East Valley Tribune in January at our 2010 Scottsdale event.

Each year, we recognize men and women in uniform, police officers and others with reduced or free admission. This year, we want every East Valley Tribune employee to know how much we appreciate their dedication to our community by offering them free admittance on Tuesday and Wednesday at the weeklong Scottsdale 2010 event. All they have to do is show proper identification.

The Barrett-Jackson auctions are the celebration of the passion and hobby of cars and car collecting. They never cease to entertain, inform and bring people together. The East Valley Tribune has provided likewise as such over the years.

Let’s all be grateful for what the East Valley Tribune has contributed and thank them.

As one Scottsdale native, thank you for your hard work and dedication, and I wish each and all of you nothing but the best.

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Craig Jackson is president and chairman of Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Events. The company’s annual auction of antique automobiles and collector models will be Jan. 18-24 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.