Peter Abrahams on a priority for him right now in his new role as Publisher of the Washington Business Journal~

"I'm on a listening tour, really, talking to a lot of the business leaders in the city. Trying to get to meet with our clients, our stakeholders, really understanding what's important to them. I have some ideas . . . "

Peter Abrahams - Publisher, Washington Business Journal and Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview

Andy Ockershausen: Well this is Our Town. This is Andy Ockershausen with an old friend. He'll never be old, and he's a wonderful friend. His name is Peter Abrahams, he's just taken over the job at head of the Washington Business Journal, but I knew him when he was selling magazines here in the studios of WMAL. Peter, welcome to Our Town.Peter Abrahams: Thanks Andy. Good to be here. And by the way, you said I'm an old friend, let's just be clear. I'm not that old.Andy Ockershausen: Yeah, I've been around a long time. Peter I've had some people that are older than me, believe it or not, in this business.Peter Abrahams: I do believe that. You're not that old.Andy Ockershausen: I'm not going to be either, Peter, but I'm so happy to have you and have you back at Our Town, but we met long before I found out that you were an important guy, through a mutual friend that grew up with you in Boston. Is that correct?Peter Abrahams On How He and Andy MetPeter Abrahams: You know, as I was thinking about seeing you today, we have known each other for so long-I'm trying to remember how we actually met the very first time because I didn't, but it's been 25 years. I mean you were one of the very first people I met when I landed here. My first time here was in '89 and I can't even remember, but through the years, it never goes about a month or two months without seeing you running around somewhere. I mean running, you don't walk, you tend to move pretty fast so, and I have short little legs, so it was always hard to catch up with you.Andy Ockershausen: Yeah, but you make an impression everywhere you go, Peter. I always was so impressed, Scott Langerman went to-Peter Abrahams: Oh, was it Scott? Yeah.Andy Ockershausen: School with him and then Longwood somewhere up with the rich people in the Boston area. I knew that.Peter Abrahams: Yeah, Chestnut Hill, Baker Elementary.Andy Ockershausen: Isn't that something? It's incredible and then you run back into him in the Capitol, but Peter, having you and seeing you operate because I went to a lot of things, as you did, and that was so important, you made an appearance in Our Town, and people knew Peter Abrahams. And you have represented an important part of Our Town with your publication.Peter Left Our Town, But Not ActuallyPeter Abrahams: Yeah, you know it's funny, people always ask me that and they ask me, I didn't actually leave. I was still here, but I was never here. I was spending about three days a month here over the last couple years. I was-Andy Ockershausen: Kept your home here?Peter Abrahams: Kept my home here. But I really wasn't here and so a lot of people have welcomed me back. I didn't leave, but it's interesting because when you talk about the impression, for me, this area has always made an impression upon me. So, I feel fortunate coming back because I've been welcomed back, which was surprising, and you know, I am going to take that people think I physically left. It's great, because they're buying me coffees and they want to see me.Andy Ockershausen: Oh wow.From Boston to Washington, DC - Abrahams Instantly Felt at HomePeter Abrahams: But, you know, when I moved here, I was in Boston, it was shortly after school. I ran my own business, which failed, I was bankrupt. Got in my friend's car and we drove down here.