This retrospective issue also features brief histories of our largest markets — workers' compensation, excess and surplus, and property and casualty — by three experts in those fields. You'll also find our regular compilation of articles about various insurance events and topics. Of particular note is the piece by Contributing Editor Gary Fineout, which brings us insight into all the doings in Tallahassee. Florida's annual legislative session is often compared to a basketball game — nothing really counts until the final buzzer. However, the dealings, discussions, and defeats prior to that final buzzer are equally intriguing, and we bring them all to you in our Tallahassee reports. (Fineout is one of our four contributing editors. This issue features brief biographies of all four reporters, giving them some long-overdue special recognition; their story is on page 24.)

I have been editor of Florida Underwriter for almost one full year now, and I can honestly say it has been even more fun that I anticipated. When I met with CFO Sink in October, we both said how we found insurance “fascinating.” Everyone around the table laughed at that. But frankly, how awful our jobs would be if we thought otherwise!

In closing, my thanks to everyone who contributed to this special issue, and to the many industry friends who have offered articles and interviews over the years. A special thanks to our readers and advertisers for your continued support, and to the staff at Summit Business Media for those magical words, “The issue is to bed.”