Publisher Lisa Stamos has one thing in mind when you pick up a copy of Quintessential Barrington: your satisfaction. Her vision is to produce a high-quality magazine that readers can identify with on a local basis, see great ideas and resources within, and hopefully, find inspiration.

QB is Stamos' second venture into publishing. Her first publication, McHenry County Woman Newspaper, was created in 2003. People often ask if she has a background in journalism, and though the answer is "no," the ink was always there in her veins just waiting for a chance.

As a third-generation publisher, much of her chosen career experience melts unplanned, but perfectly, into the job of publishing, which she calls the beginning of her second career. A degree in speech/communication, and excellent training in fine arts from Ripon College, (Wisconsin), set the stage for a life of work in words and pictures. Stamos recalls the silly manually produced cut-and-paste, clip art "family newsletters" she enjoyed creating in her early twenties. Foreshadowing, perhaps?

As a Kemper Scholar, Stamos had the opportunity to work in the advertising department and corporate audio/visual studio during summer internships. There were a host of media influences, including work at an ABC-TV affiliate, WRAL-TV, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Time also spent on the creative floor at DDB Needham Worldwide, Inc. (Chicago), was influential for Stamos. This was an opportunity to observe and work with the people who create brilliant advertising campaigns, some that still may be playing over in your mind.