Keller: Times Tower Move Like Normandy!

From: Bill Keller
Subject: Welcome, Thanks, More Thanks, and a Small Plea

To the Staff:

Welcome.
Now that the entire news department has made the move to our new temple of 21st-century journalism, let us give thanks. For the building itself -- for the open spaces and flood of natural light, for the glorious new cafeteria, for the implicit faith in our future -- the thanks go first to the Great Upstairs. For the fact that the orange crates arrived mostly in the right places, for the phones and computers that work, for the personal attention to the ergonomics of your personal spaces -- in short, for the most successful landing since Normandy -- we have many, many others to thank. Hussain Ali-Kahn and his teams head the list, but many of the newsroom's own deserve special gratitude.
Start with Peter Putrimas, who never lost his sense of humor.
A shout-out to Terry Schadron, because the technology moved so smoothly that we kept putting out great papers with hardly a hiccup. And let's not forget Joe Caramanico, who got the printers printing, and Katie O'Brien, who oversaw the connection of countless telephones.
And, heroes all:
The move coordinators for all the desks -- too numerous to mention, but you know who you are, and so do the beneficiaries of your efficiency.
Charlotte Evans
Merrill Perlman
Erika Sommer
Grace Wong
Kathleen McElroy

Finally, please, a little patience. We know there are lots of details needing attention. They are all on somebody's list, and we will get to them with the same determination that went into the larger relocation. But maybe not right away.
Cheers,

Bill