Hello, my name is Missy Creed McFerron, and I used to only look at the photos in the magazine and didn’t read any of the articles. There, I said it. Not to discredit the writers along the way, it’s just . . . I’m more of a visual/audio person.

That used to be me. 

But now, given my role as publisher, I read every single article, and it’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the job. I’m eager for you to see and read this issue because, in true new year fashion, we’ve freshened up some details. We have a new installment called Money Talk which is all about Jefferson City’s money — interesting right? And CITY FIT — which, ahhh! I can’t contain my excitement for these individuals who are embarking on a year-long health and wellness journey with certified personal trainers in our area, and we get to document it. Kate, CITY’s art director, and I also took some time to bring fresh design to the pages. I’m just so excited for you to see. 

But what I really want to highlight is our 2020 Ones To Watch class. As some of you know, Ones To Watch holds a special place in my heart; I was in the 2018 class. What a fun, honorable accolade this recognition is. As I read through each story written by Leslie Fischer, a true talent who has so much to offer this world, I was incredibly inspired. I felt like I was sitting down and enjoying a cup of coffee with them. Every one of them is unique in their own ways, yet I found something about each that I could completely identify with. And my oh my, the artwork in this issue makes my heart happy! Thank you so much to Clay Broughton and Dan Westhues for letting us use the Central Bank collection as our backdrop. Be sure to read the article found here and stay tuned on Facebook for some behind-the-scenes peeks from these photoshoots. They’re priceless! 

Just for fun, I want to share with you a challenge Sarah, CITY’s associate publisher, and I are going to try this year. Between the two of us, we want to go on 50 coffee dates with people we don’t yet know. It’s going to be our way of getting to know people on a deeper level and finding new ways to connect. So, do you want to go to coffee? Email me at missy@jeffersoncitymag.com or Sarah at sarah@jeffersoncitymag.com. We’d love to find out what you’re about! 

Thank you so much for reading the magazine or just picking one up and looking at the beautiful photography (wink). You are supporting a small, local business run by four women with families and fur babies that truly appreciate your time. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together and find something new to love about this city. We can’t wait to see what 2020 holds for JCMO. Rest assured, we’ll be here to celebrate it. 

Missy Creed McFerron, Publisher

P.S. — Don’t miss the 2020 Impact JCMO recipients found here. So special!