The new year always tends to usher in change and goalsetting.

And it’s no different for us.

We announced an ownership change at the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, bidding farewell and well wishes to longtime Journal owner Melanie Hoefer on Dec. 30.

Hoefer, the paper’s founder, sold the paper and stepped away from the publishing field to pursue the launch of a new consulting business. The Journal team wishes her the best in her next endeavor.

Both the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business and Senior Times, a monthly paper Hoefer bought in 2013, will continue independently under a new subsidiary of Cowles Co., Mid-Columbia Media Inc. 

Cowles, which owns The Spokesman-Review and Spokane Journal of Business, is a fourth-generation company with holdings in news, broadcasting, real estate, printing and other industries.

In the past 21 years, the Journal has evolved into the area’s only business-focused media outlet.

It’s grown significantly, adding a robust online presence and a variety of specialty publications, including two magazines, Focus: Real Estate + Construction in the fall and Focus: Agriculture + Viticulture in the spring; specialty publications on a variety of topics; an annual Young Professionals contest; and the Parade of Homes magazine in partnership with the Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities.

This past December we produced a special section focusing on energy.

Though we’ve added new products and talent over the years, our mission has remained the same: provide quality business news to unite our community.

This goal will continue to be our guide in all that we do.

Our readers should continue to expect the best of local business news when they open their newspaper or click on our online stories.

We’re keeping our compass pointed in the direction we want to go: forward. And we’re excited to invite you along for the ride.