NewsOK heroes

Let me take a quick time out to point out the heroes of NewsOK.com.

The process of the online redesign began more than a year ago. And until the past few months, we’ve discussed Then, Scott Horton, the creative director in the Audience Development department at OPUBCO Communications Group, led a team to conceptualize the new Web site. He’s been working with Marilyn Hoeffner, our site manager and Andy Fugate, new media director, to build the infrastructure and develop the new technologies to power the site.

I’ve been working with NewsOK.com since 2000 – before NewsOK.com even existed (we were connectok.com and oklahoman.com). I’ve been through many redesigns and been a part of many discussions about our product as it has morphed and grown through the years. I’ve always felt lucky to be a part of a group of people that cared so deeply about the product they spent their days and night working on. And I’ve always told outsiders that the amount of talent on the art, design and programming teams is astounding (that’s Scott, Andy and Marilyn).

I’m a journalist by trade. So watching those types of minds from close range is like seeing a circus act … you know … you’re not sure how they do that, and you don’t want to stare — but it’s hard to look away.