It’s that time of year again.

We’ve flipped the calendar page, and set our sights on a new year — a blank slate. We reflect on who we were the previous year and who we would like to be this year.

I’ve learned the key to success when setting goals is surrounding yourself with people who will help you accomplish those goals.

Three years ago, not long after I took the managing editor position here at Leader Publications, I wrote a column promising a number of improvements to our newpapers.

Unlike many resolutions, our small but mighty team committed to accomplishing our goals, such as introducing the popular “back-page” business, schools, giving and lifestyle features you still read today.

Two years ago, we committed to growing our social media presence and publishing sports video. Our sports editor, Scott Novak, took ownership of this goal and shared the popular clips that circulate your Facebook feeds on Friday nights.

Last year, we set a goal to publish an opinion page four times per week (four times more often than before). If you are reading this column in print, you have proof in your hands that we have stayed committed to this goal as well.

My point here is not to boast about the efforts of our news team, but to remind you, our readers, that we hear your suggestions for improvements and take them very seriously. There is no one more important to our team than the loyal folks who read our content, whether in print or online.

This is not to say that we are able to make every suggestion a reality. Like any other business, we are constrained by budgets, staffing and technology, but I assure you, if we hear the same feedback enough, I personally will exhaust all options in attempt to satisfy those needs.

Our papers have grown significantly in the last four years, but we know there is always room for improvement. As such, we have our sights set on a number of opportunities for growth in 2018, but we would like your feedback.

What would make your newspaper better? What would you like to read that you are not already reading? What sorts of photo packages engage you? Whose opinion would you like to hear? What would you like to see go away?

Share your feedback via email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com, or mail a letter to 217 N. Fourth St. in Niles, to my attention.

I’m so excited to see what we can accomplish this year.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7700, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com.