Cover Story : Top Women in Magazine Publishing

Publishing Executive honors leading female executives who are helping to shape the industry.

Alyce Alston, President, Home & Garden and Health & Wellness, Reader’s Digest Association
Alston manages a $250 million portfolio of 13 brands, including seven magazine titles, eight Web sites, 25 newsstand products, multimedia educational tools, a direct-mail book division, a catalog company and travel company. At Reader’s Digest Association (RDA), Alston formed the Home & Garden Affinity, leveraging the group’s experts, preeminent content and access to 27 million consumers. Alston also launched two new brands, Best You and FreshHome, and led the relaunch of The Family Handyman Web site. She also spearheaded the development and launch of one of RDA’s most significant investments, Purpose Driven Connection, a suite of multimedia products created in partnership with Pastor Rick Warren. Previously, Alston was the CEO of De Beers Diamond Jewelers U.S. Inc., group publisher of W, W Jewelry and Vitals at Fairchild/Condé Nast Publications, and publisher of Hearst’s O, The Oprah Magazine—the biggest magazine launch in history in both revenue and profit. Alston also was named one of Advertising Age’s “Media Mavens” in 2000.

• Tip: “Publishers need to focus on making products and content available for like-minded consumers in the medium of their choice.”

Allison Arden, Vice President/Publisher, Advertising Age and Creativity, Crain Communications Inc.
Arden oversees the business and editorial strategies and operations for Advertising Age and Creativity. At Advertising Age, she has held the roles of associate publisher and general manager, digital. Prior to joining Crain in 1996, Arden worked for Miller Freeman Inc., where she launched 3D Design Magazine and its Web site as national sales manager in 1995. Arden also serves on the board of directors for the American Advertising Federation and Advertising Women of New York.

• Tip: “Understand the core of what makes your magazine so important to its readers. Those insights will open your eyes to the possibilities of what your brand can become as you look to expand your business.”

Celie Baussan, Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology, SourceMedia
Baussan joined SourceMedia more than 20 years ago. She is responsible for creative services, manufacturing, distribution, paper procurement, technology operations, conference operations and facilities management for SourceMedia’s corporate office in New York City. Prior to SourceMedia, Baussan held various executive positions at Thomson Financial, Chemical Week, Investment Dealers’ Digest, CMP Publications, Gralla Publications and March Advertising, a division of McCann Erickson. She was a committee board member of Spectrum and a recipient of the Boy Scouts of America’s “Good Scout” Award in 2008.

• Tip: “The most successful people are the ones great at plan B.”

MaryAnn Bekkedahl, Executive Vice President, Group Publisher, Rodale Inc.
Bekkedahl is responsible for the advertising sales and trade marketing efforts for all Rodale print and digital properties. She also oversees the company’s integrated trade marketing programs, corporate ad sales and custom publishing. Previously, Bekkedahl served as senior vice president and global brand director for Men’s Health. In addition to oversight of advertising, she was responsible for Men’s Health’s brand extensions, including its international expansion, product licensing, video and broadband content, mobile services and digital media activities. During her 14 years with the company, she has also served as publisher of Men’s Health and associate publisher of Men’s Health International.

• Tip: “It’s all about the content. Quality content attracts quality readers who attract quality advertisers. Together, quality readers and advertisers drive the revenues that can be re-invested in quality content.”

Cathie Black, President, Hearst Magazines, Hearst Corp.
Black is the author of the best-selling book “Basic Black: The Essential Guide to Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life).” Dubbed “The First Lady of American Magazines” by the Financial Times, Black oversees 15 of the industry’s best-known titles, including Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar and O, The Oprah Magazine, as well as 200 magazines internationally. Most recently, she oversaw the launch of Food Network Magazine in partnership with Food Network. Under her direction, Hearst Magazines has launched, relaunched or acquired 25 Web sites and nine mobile sites since 2007. Black began her career in advertising sales at Holiday and then Ms., and in 1979, she became the first female publisher of a weekly consumer magazine: New York. She is credited for the success of USA Today, where she was first president, then publisher, as well as a board member and executive vice president/marketing of parent company Gannett. In 1991, she became president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America. She is a past chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America.

• Tip: “Magazines are going to be an important part of the future media landscape if we constantly innovate; encourage creativity in all areas of the business; and stay nimble, flexible and open to new ways of doing business. The past is not a prologue to the future.”

Sabrina Crow, Senior Vice President, Brand Media Division, and Corporate Development and Planning, Nielsen Business Media
Crow leads a portfolio of integrated brands, such as National Jeweler, Business Travel News and Gourmet Retailer, among others, including trade shows, publications, online businesses, conferences and events. Crow also oversees corporate development and planning for Nielsen Business Media, and is responsible for the company’s strategic planning process and M&A activities, as well as leading the digital products and online corporate sales teams. Previously, she was group vice president/managing director at Reed Business U.S. and CEO of Freedom Magazines International, and ran a $100 million+ revenue business for The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald at Knight Ridder. Crow has served as president of a chapter of the International Advertising Association and has held board and committee seats at nonprofits including American Business Media.

• Tip: “Listen, learn, lead. Stand for what you believe in. Pay attention to how your audiences’ needs are changing, and stay ahead of them. Have a great mentor.”

Cara S. David, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Integrated Media, American Express Publishing
David oversees strategic corporate integrated sales across all American Express Publishing Corp. brands: Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Departures and Executive Travel. She is responsible for the company’s targeted research initiatives, such as the “Annual Survey of Affluence & Wealth in America,” as well as branding initiatives for the division. David joined American Express Publishing in 1997 as senior account manager of Travel + Leisure and became the company’s first corporate sales director, spearheading significant incremental sales gains. David was named vice president of corporate sales and marketing in 2002. Previously, she was director of advertising sales at Saveur and publisher of Modern Bride. She began her career at Interior Design, where she held various positions, working her way up to the position of publisher. In 2003, David received the Time Inc. President’s Award, the company’s highest honor.

• Tip: “You are who you hire, so be very, very selective. Look for people who genuinely enjoy helping your customers succeed, who make up for the things that you lack, who are collaborative and not in it for themselves, who are clever, strategic thinkers able to maneuver in a complex, multifaceted world and who are fun to be around.”

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