CONGRATULATIONS ON A WELL DESERVED PROMOTION

Accolades today to Barry Friedman of the Lakeland Ledger on the announcement this week that he is being promoted to the newly created position of Director of Online Operations for the New York Times owned newspaper, effective February 1.

Barry is an extremely talented individual who was the force behind the Ledger launching it's Internet presence nearly a decade ago. He's not stopped pushing the envelope while making the Ledger site one of the best print media URLs in Florida. What it lacks in pizzazz and "bells and whistles" it more than makes up for when it comes to quality of content and the relative ease for visitors to get around the site.

While Barry will continue to be responsible for the news content at www.theledger.com, he will take on the additional duty of coordinating the newspaper's Internet advertising operations.

Best wishes and a STANDING O to a truly great fellow on this new opportunity.