Hello everyone, it’s NOGUCHI.

As many of you may already know through socia media etc., I will leave Ricoh today. This means I will no longer be a part of the GR official management team. This is going to be the last article as NOGUCHI of Ricoh.

I have been involved for about 12 years, with the resting period in the middle, since the launch of "GR BLOG" in August 2005, when employees blogs were not yet popular. I remember on the first day we were thrilled to watch the number of trackbacks increase one by one.

· Don't pay too much attention to techniques to have more page views.
· Believe in the power of our contents. Be sincere in each and every post.
· Treat a GR user as our friend.
· Each project must have something unique to GR.
· Smiles are contagious. We enjoy first.
· Stop writing if your love for the product has faded. Don't keep on without passion.

I haven’t clearly stated these before but I have always had them in mind. I have been able to feel your support in various forms, which have inspired me so much. I really thank you.

It has been a year and three months since the launch of "GR official"- the alternative for "GR BLOG"- in the spring of 2018. The blog has gone beyond information spreader by the employees and it has planned and carried out actual events by itself. Generally speaking, different groups or people do different things for different purposes such as events, social media, and public relations in large companies. But, as for the GR, GR official has been the central hub for all communications and activities.

We have done so many things in such a short period of time- GR meet (3 times), GR trip (6 times), GR Live (2 times), GR café, GR SNAPS (6 times), GRist (23 members), GR T-snaps, etc. We the "GR lovers" have managed to carried out those events just out of our love for the product. I am grateful to the staff members I have worked with. It’s been so fulfilling.

Some people think of me as Mr. GR or the father of GR somewhere down the line, but in fact the opposite is true. I have learned so much from so many wonderful people I have met through the GR. I am more than happy to have had the opportunity to go to various places, meet various people and learn great deal with the GR.

I think GR Official is a place that is more GR-like than the product itself now.
I believe many fun projects will continue to be created here. It’s more GR-like to always challenge new things than repeating familiar projects. Some of them may not succeed, but we can learn from them. That's what I have told the staff. Please go easy with them.

From now on, I will enjoy photographing as one of the GR fans together with you.

Come to think of it, I wonder if I would be eligible for GRist someday or if I could apply for the next GR meet. No, wait. It would be more interesting if I gathered 8 people and applied for GR trip in Hawaii.

I will leave the company but our bonds through photography will not change (right?). Let’s keep in touch. See you again!

Sincerely,
Tomohiro Noguchi

　
　
My Memorable Event Photo

（NOGUCHI）