As almost anyone in Taiwan will readily acknowledge, 10 years is a long time for any publication to remain in existence. Despite challenges along the way, Compass Magazine has survived over the years as it has filled a very unique niche to meet an essential need in Central Taiwan.

      This publication's very modest foundations date back to late 1994, when the fledgling Taichung American Chamber of Commerce decided that it would be useful to create a newsletter which would provide basic useful information about the organization and community. This responsibility largely fell to volunteers Trudy Ludwig and Douglas Habecker. As a result of their efforts, a few hundred copies of the very first four-page Compass newsletter were printed and distributed in May, 1994. The English-only, bimonthly newsletter slowly grew, thanks to advertising that allowed Compass to maintain itself as a free publication, solely supported by ads. Along the way, several regular features were created, including Compass' most enduring and popular item, simply titled "What's New". Writing, editing, printing and distribution continued to be handled by a handful of volunteers, including Elizabeth Baker, Barbara Healy and Mia Shanley, who all worked with Doug Habecker during various periods.

      The basic newsletter remained unchanged for the next four-plus years. However, in late 1998, a team of three individuals—May Chao, Mia Shanley and Douglas Habecker—decided to approach Taichung AmCham about the creation of an independent, privately-owned, for-profit magazine, detached from AmCham but still committed to supporting the organization and its activities via regular publicity. The three partners felt that Compass had reached its limits as a volunteer-produced, English newsletter, but believed that strong demand by readers-- notably Taiwanese residents--indicated great potential for something much bigger—a monthly, bilingual magazine dedicated to providing information to both Taichung's Taiwanese and foreign communities. Only by expanding the readership base to Taiwanese readers would Compass be able to become a full-fledged magazine.

      With the agreement of then-AmCham Chairman Arden Crance, Compass became a privately-owned venture, with May Chao as the officially-registered publisher, and Douglas Habecker and Mia Shanley respectively serving as managing editor and production editor. The first, December, 1998 edition of the new Compass Magazine was an entirely-new creature, with 26 pages, expanded features, Chinese-language content, a striking color cover and new logo, designed by Courtney Donovan Smith. In accordance with its separation agreement, Compass continued to promote and publicize Taichung AmCham via its monthly "AmCham Update" section.

      The growth envisioned by the original partners was fully realized over the next five-plus years, as Compass gained widespread popularity as Central Taiwan's leading city guide magazine among Taiwanese, who today make up over 90 percent of the magazine's readers. Significant advertising growth helped to fund a many improvements and additions and boosted circulation, which quickly passed 10,000 copies. As May Chao and Mia Shanley left Taiwan, new partners became involved, including one-time publisher/business manager Michelle Groesbeck, and Donovan Smith, who eventually joined Douglas Habecker as a co-publisher, as well as design & production editor.

      Compass soon expanded well beyond its original boundaries, as its sister Taipei publication, Taiwan Fun Magazine, was founded in December, 2001, and was followed by a third, southern Taiwan magazine, F.Y.I. SOUTH, in September, 2002. The www.taiwanfun.com bilingual website was also created as a repository for all published articles and information, as well as other weekly updates. This quickly turned into one of Taiwan's largest information websites, currently attracting an average 6,000 visits per day.

      Today, 10 years after starting as a four-page newsletter, Compass Magazine and its sister magazines are enjoyed each month by an estimated 100,000 local and foreign readers, and are distributed free at hundreds of outlets, from international airports and department stores to local restaurants, teahouses and hospitals. Throughout it all, one thing has never changed--the magazine's simple mission to provide free, easy-to-find, useful information about where to go and what to do.