By Susan Hardee Steger
Editor
April 13, 2022
On May 12, after ten years of service, Suanne Thamm, reporter-news analyst, and Susan Hardee Steger, editor will step down from their positions at the Fernandina Observer.
We are pleased to announce that Mike Phillips, a newcomer to our community, will assume the editor’s responsibilities. Mike comes to Fernandina Beach from Cincinnati OH, where he retired as an E.W. Scripps executive overseeing 19 of the company’s newsrooms from Florida to Puget Sound. He began his newspaper career as a reporter and copy editor, continued as a senior editor, then ultimately corporate executive. He was a digital news pioneer and specialized in community news.
Join us in welcoming Mike Phillips to our community. His wide-ranging skills and wealth of experience will leave the Fernandina Observer in good hands. We ask for your support while Mike organizes his team to deliver news and information “For and About the People of Nassau County.”
Susan & Suanne,
Sorry to see this change but it is most understandable after 10 years of hard work. Best wishes to the FO for the future.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Where did ten years go?
Welcome Mike.
Congrats S & S. Fabulous job y’all. Enjoy retirement. It can be fun too and thanks for the ride.
And thank you Gerry for your years of volunteering as our roving reporter! This endeavor was a team effort.
Wow, ten years of service, the first thing we read each morning at breakfast! Thanks to both Suanne and Susan for all their contributions to the community over the years. Their analysis of the news of our island will be greatly missed. Welcome to Mr Phillips.
I sincerely thank you both. You have made a real difference in our community. A very real difference. Fair winds and following seas.
Perhaps we will see a more balanced reporting of news without the left agenda.
You mean you want a steady diet of Fox media and Newsmax. Don’t think so.
The lefty twist and spin. Actually looking for news, not propaganda from all of MSM. FYI, Still waiting on your math from your statement of a few dollars per Fl. household (ten million) adding to hundreds of billions solving the homeowners insurance issues.
Lol, I thought it was right-leaning!
Good work Susan and Suanne. Enjoyed your reports. Glad to see a professional journalist is continuing the Observer.
Many thanks, Susan and Suanne, for launching FO. You both have been gifts to our community. Free press and local news is important. Welcome, Mike! You bring a wealth of experience and we look forward to what you bring to our community!
I will miss Susanne and wish her all the best.
Thank you both for your bringing us this insightful resource. Enjoy retirement!
You both have done a great job of keeping this particular idiot informed about our community…….you have set the bar high for Mike.
Best of luck to both of you.
Good job Susan and Suzanne! Our community has been more informed objectively because of your 10 years of hard work! Just the other day someone said, “hey, saw you in the FO”, and I was like- what? Then I realized you’ve become the well read source of news. Sorry to see you go but welcome Mike!
Both of you will be missed Now understand the end of April Fool post
Thank you both for your substantial contributions to the quality of life on Amelia Island.
Thank you so much for all you have done for the community and the Museum. Does that mean you are both ready to spend more time volunteering at the Museum? You know Thea can find a costume for you…;)
Thank you both for all that you have done. The F.O. is my first read every morning. Welcome Mr. Phillips. You have big shoes to fill.
I do wish Mike the best but I truly will miss you both…. Suanne I still owe a hug. I wish you both the best in your next journey…
Thank you ladies for the 10 yrs of news….welcome Mike Philips!!
Thank-you to Susan and Suanne for establishing and nurturing such a wonderful and important community resource. It has been an invaluable community service and yours are well deserved retirements. Be well, see you around town. Looking forward to the continued success of the Fernandina Observer. Debra Branton
Ditto to all of the above positive comments.
Thanks for an informative 10 years.
Susan and Suzanne – Thank you for supporting the community with your reporting and information sharing. Wishing you the very best!
Welcome Mike.
Congratulations on a well-earned retirement. Thanks for passing the baton to a worthy recipient, and for all your hard work over the years, keeping us locals (and your neighbors) informed. Your fan, Susan T
Thank you both for your time and effort in keeping us informed. Will miss your reporting.
Susan & Suanne<
Thanks for all you have done to keep us informed and for keeping the Observer presses rolling after your tenure!
hopefully the incoming editor believes in
The Journalist’s Creed
AND NOT PERSONAL POLITICS.
I believe that you should read the header on this page: “Fernandina Observer, a Journal of News and Opinion.” OPINION. Moreover, go to the “About” section to see that this publication comes under the self-heading of “blog.” If you want the “Opinion” part to be eliminated from this blog, take that up directly with Mr. Phillips. As is, Susan and Suanne have delivered exactly what they set out to do, and what they said they’d do, way beyond expectation.
As Howard Zinn noted regarding historians, every journalist has a personal opinion, and that opinion (or viewpoint or worldview) will always inform what gets written and published and what does not. To declare otherwise is disingenuous.
Your work informed so many. Thanks for all you’ve done.
Enjoy your time.
Suanne and Susan, you both are community treasures and you have given so much of your time and talent to all of us. What a legacy you and leaving!! Welcome to Mike and the team will no doubt continue to inform us daily of our local issues and provide us with a truth-based journalism!! Kudos!!