In honor of Auto Remarketing's 25th anniversary this year — which we are celebrating with our Dec. 1 issue  — 25 reasons, in no particular order, why I’m excited about AR & covering the auto industry:

— There is always a new, innovative company to learn about in the used-car business.

— We get to interact personally with our readers, sources, industry partners, advertising customers and folks we cover.

— Auctions and dealers are small business in its purest form.

— The publishing and journalism world has moved increasingly more digital, and learning how to adapt is actually an exercise in creativity.

— There are infinite interesting stories a reporter can generate from an earnings conference call. Plus the hold music generally is relaxing classical tunes.

— I get to meet people who start companies from the ground up. They have taught me a lot about guts and persistence.

— I have interviewed executives about their operational strategy, learning more about business and decision-making than ever imaginable.

— Publishing editions like Women in Remarketing and 40 Under 40 brings recognition to some of the most impressive, groundbreaking leaders in the business.

— The Best Auto Auctions to Work For edition sheds light on what makes effective workforces.

— The magazine goes from printed pages to “real life” through the Used Car Week conferences.

— A few dozen in-person interviews in three days of the NADA Convention can be accomplished if you’ve got a good knack for planning.

— Attending an auto auction is a cross between a carnival atmosphere and a crash-course in supply-and-demand.

— I might be writing about a car-vending machine one minute, certified pre-owned vehicle sales the next.

— Used Car Week Live and video interviews have been great resources to reach our audience in new ways.

— It’s a team atmosphere at Auto Remarketing.

— Putting the magazine together never fails to teach me something new.

— The certified pre-owned market continues to break records.

— The industry has bounced back like a champ after hitting the ground hard in 2008 through 2010.

— Each part of the auto business — from new-vehicle sales to financing to tech to auctions — is interconnected in some way.

— Competition in the car business is as intense as it is in sports (see more about that in a conversation with Bill Zadeits).

— The used-car business has spread to Silicon Valley.  

— Buying a car, used or new, is the second-largest purchase most folks will make. It’s firmly part of the fabric of American life. 

— The auto industry is changing rapidly, with innovation and tradition coming together.

— The best days are ahead.

— Our readers? They are the best.