Highlighting Sid Cato's recently concluded, 16th annual International Annual Report Conference at San Antonio, Texas, five high-level communications officers predicted "extended life" for the print annual report.

The October issue of Cato's newsletter, based here, is his 254th—every month since September 1983.

Cato is a former corporate executive, as well as author of a book on coping with grief. Panelists in the officer-level discussion at San Antonio included Jon C. Iwata, IBM senior vice president for communications, who suggested the topic; Lear Corp.'s Mel Stephens; Tellabs' George Stenitzer; MDU Resources' veteran VP Cathi Christopherson, and consultant/chief financial officer Tom Sandeman.

IBM's Iwata said "It may be time for us to rethink the purpose of an annual report—or, perhaps, to return to its original intent."