I think it’s difficult to choose your own happiness. Often, and sometimes appropriately, we tend to choose obligations over happiness.
Last week our editor-in-chief, Jeremy Williams, gave his notice to leave Watermark Out News in June stating his plans to move to New York City. After more than a decade of putting the needs of Watermark Out News before his own, I am sad but proud to see him make this change.
I first met Jeremy many years ago when Watermark was in search of a sales team account manager. Jeremy was a journalism student at the time, looking for a way into the business. I remember being impressed with his customer service experience and his outgoing personality. I thought he would be a good fit but experience had taught me that a part-timer on our sales team was not the answer.
Against the wishes of our sales manager, I told him we would not be able to make an offer to Jeremy. Jeremy’s response was to ask what he needed to do to make it happen, to which we replied that he needed to make himself available full-time. And so he did.
Jeremy proved to be a stellar employee, well-liked by the staff and especially his clients. He was one of our top sales reps of all time. In fact, he was too good for his own good. Being part of the sales team was not his end game; it was his foot in the door. He asked several times to be moved to the editorial team but remained in sales because it is what Watermark needed.
Eventually, not seeing any editorial positions in his future, Jeremy moved to North Dakota to be with family. Shortly after, editorial team member Jamie Hyman announced she was going to be a mother. She asked if she could call Jeremy back from North Dakota to fill in for her maternity leave. I agreed he was our guy and Jeremy jumped at the chance to return.
Upon Jamie’s return to work, Steve Blanchard — who was the editor at that time — announced he was making a career change. With Jamie back in the driver’s seat for Central Florida, we needed someone to take care of Tampa Bay. We asked Jeremy to move to Tampa and he did.
I don’t think he ever found the ideal living situation out there but he did it because it was what we needed, and he was great.
When we hired Billy Manes to be editor-in-chief, we asked Jeremy to move back to Orlando. He was excited for the opportunity to work side-by-side with Billy, someone he looked up to as a journalism student.
I was with Jeremy on June 12, 2016. His return to Orlando had made us roommates and a small group of us had taken him to dinner and a movie the night before his birthday. We were watching “And the Band Played On” around 2 a.m. when we got the news of the Pulse shooting and we stayed up all night watching the news and Darcel Stevens’ live feeds.
Within a year of Pulse, Jamie moved to London and Billy passed away. Jeremy stepped up to lead our Central Florida editorial team as if it was what he was put here to do. We didn’t lose a beat.
It isn’t easy to replace someone like Jeremy. His dedication to Watermark Out News is unique and that will be greatly missed. However, with his help over the next couple of months, I promise our Central Florida family will find the right person to fill his shoes. With my 23 years of experience at this organization, and with my stint as editor myself, I will guide this new employee to make sure that once again Watermark Out News does not skip a beat.
The loss of Jeremy to New York isn’t just a professional one for me, it’s a personal loss.
As I stated earlier, we were roommates for a few months. We are partners in crime, attending countless events together. He cracks me up and is one of my two favorite people to play Quiplash with.
Jeremy was with me through my toughest times, when my drinking turned from fun to darkness. He was there when I did what I think was one of the worst decisions I have ever made and stuck by my side while I figured it out and supported me while I got better.
Jeremy, I am so grateful to have worked with you and to call you a friend. You are going to love New York and it will love you. Don’t forget to try Mary O’s Irish soda bread scones!
Stay visible, stay strong and support each other.
