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More than a few years ago, a wide-eyed soon-to-be college graduate walked into Joan Gandy’s office at The Natchez Democrat and sat down for an interview.

Over the course of an hour, Joan talked about the newspaper; its role in the community; and the responsibility of a lifestyle editor to write interesting and entertaining articles about people in the community as well as make sure all the important news – from honor rolls to wedding and engagement announcements – was published quickly and accurately.

With the naïve confidence that every college student embarking on her first “big girl” job carries, I nodded along, assuring Joan “Yes; I can do that.” A few weeks later, I graduated on a Saturday; moved on a Sunday; and arrived for my first day on the job on Monday.

I’m not sure I ever envisioned the opportunity and career that would grow from that first meeting with Joan, but it has come full circle to Natchez again. And I couldn’t be more excited.

The lessons learned from Joan, the late Jim Boone and so many others through the years at The Democrat shaped my vision and my career – not simply because I still quote “kids are baby goats, not children.” Quite simply, they demanded excellence – in small efforts and big – and the value of serving the community.

Thanks to the leadership of the Lambert family and then Mr. Boone and Boone Newsmedia, The Democrat and its affiliated publications have set the standard for what it means to be a successful local news media company and valued community organization. The newspaper itself has a history with the Miss-Lou as wide and deep as the Mississippi River. From Capt. Lambert’s founding of the Children’s Christmas Tree Fund to our role today as an important partner in civic organizations and events, we’ve long understood both the privilege and responsibilities that come with our role.

The core responsibilities of our work remain the same today as they were when Capt. Lambert first printed The Democrat: to be the trusted source of news that impacts our local readers’ lives, reported fairly and without bias; to engage our community and its leaders, providing guidance and challenge when needed, always with the goal of helping create an excellent community; and to be a trusted partner to businesses, helping them find success in an ever-changing environment and build a robust economy.

How we accomplish those goals might look a little different today, thanks to continuously evolving tools and technology. But that’s the exciting part of what we do as well. We’re finding the best ways to deliver the trusted news to you, our readers, when and where you want it; using our marketing expertise to help local business owners navigate the myriad of options available to create effective message that helps make cash registers ring; and understanding the subtleties of the challenges and opportunities facing our community – from education to healthcare, taxes to tourism.

While I’m no longer that naïve college graduate, I found myself nodding and saying, “Yes, we can do that” recently when talking about the opportunity to return to Natchez Newspapers publisher.

And, for the record, it’s good to be home.

Stacy G. Graning is publisher of The Democrat. She welcomes the opportunity to visit with readers and community members in the coming weeks. Email her at stacy.graning@natchezdemocrat.com.