In This Issue

This month`s letter from the editor.

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Inc. has been refining its annual issue on America's 500 fastest-growing private companies for 23 years. And this time around, we truly shook things up: To reflect the faster pace of today's economy, we made it possible for companies to qualify based on four years of growth rather than the customary five. The result is our most dynamic 500 yet.

What hasn't changed is the care and effort that go into the undertaking. The team shown below contacted thousands of candidates, inspected the financial statements of every finalist, interviewed each honoree, then crafted this edition. It wouldn't be this good without the contributions of each of them.

The 500 Staff:

• Carol Hirsch (senior editor, Inc. 500)
• Blake Taylor (creative director)
• Gibson Frazier (research analyst)
• Cara Majeski (intern)
• Patrick J. Sauer (staff writer)
• Allen Roberts (staff reporter)
• Darren Dahl (staff reporter)
• Eileen Gunn (contributing writer)
• Jim Melloan (contributing writer)
• Bobbie Gossage (associate editor)
• Chris MacManus (contributing art director)
• Ian Ybarra (intern)
• Nicole Gull (senior reporter)
• Amy Gunderson (contributing writer)
• Jess McCuan (staff writer)
• Rod Kurtz (staff writer)
• Deanna Lowe (design consultant)
• James C. Hyatt (contributing editor)
• Nadine Heintz (staff writer)
• Lora Kolodny (staff reporter)
• Cara Cannella (contributing writer)
• Rebecca Dorr (contributing writer)
• Larry Olmsted (contributing writer)
• Burt Helm (intern)
• Max Nicholas (intern)
• Kristen von Hoffmann (intern)