When you work for a large company like I did for many years, it’s easy to work with people that you don’t really know.  However, I had quite a different experience during my years at CNN.com, at least where one colleague is concerned.  For much of my time at CNN.com, I worked the evening shift.  I would come into the office around noon or 1:00 p.m. and work until 9:00 or 10:00 p.m.  At that time, some of the operations of CNN.com would transfer over to our colleagues in another part of the world, namely Hong Kong.  Many nights I would send an AIM to a gentleman named Kevin Drew.  I was not aware at that time that Kevin had actually worked in the Atlanta offices of CNN.com at one time because when he was in the states I was actually working in another department and for a couple of years, for another company.  I just knew Kevin as the person in charge in Hong Kong, and the person that I needed to make aware of what was happening on my side of the globe.  For approximately two years Kevin and I shared what I like to refer to as an AIM relationship.  So it was very exciting for me to visit the CNN Hong Kong offices and actually meet Kevin Drew face-to-face.  The experience proves that knowing what a person looks like or how they dress or their mannerisms, is not a requirement for having great respect for a person as a professional and as a colleague.  Putting a face with a name simply provided me with more context when I think back on what a pleasure it was to deal with someone so considerate and so professional in the way they handled themselves as a colleague.

CNN's Kevin Drew shows Jeff Holiday the latest stories he's posted to CNN.com.