Press Release: Farm Journal Announces New Divisions and Key Promotions to Better Facilitate Market Access and Accelerate Growth
Lenexa, Kan. (Oct. 8, 2018)—Farm Journal Media announced the creation of new divisions, key executive promotions, new hires and organizational changes designed to help the company better serve evolving market needs and aggressively drive further growth.
“Core and exciting to this set of changes is standing up two new directly related business divisions,” stated Andy Weber, Farm Journal CEO. “The first is a Data and Research Division centered around a new data warehouse that organizes and holds all of our data, creating the most comprehensive and user-friendly database in agriculture. The second is a data-driven marketing services division, which will marry this huge database to all of our media channels and allow clients to rifle targeted messages along with high-value content.”
Grey Montgomery becomes Division President, Data and Research, which adds the Company’s data management business and new research businesses to his existing responsibilities overseeing Pro Farmer and Doane advisory services. Montgomery joined Farm Journal in early 2018 from Winsight, LLC, where he served as Chief Content and Innovation Officer.
A search begins immediately to hire a Division President to launch the new Data and Digital-driven Marketing Services (DDMS) Division and onboard by the first quarter of 2019. DDMS greatly expands Farm Journal’s current Content Services function in supporting the Company’s solutions driven go-tomarket strategy.
Mitch Rouda becomes Division President for a third new Farm Journal division, Trust In Food. The division will work closely with USDA, NGOs, agribusiness and others to increase sustainable practices among farmers, ranchers and growers, leading to a communication platform that creates dialog between agriculture and consumers. Rouda had been Chief Revenue Officer for the Company.
Charlene Finck, formerly Executive Vice President/Chief Content Officer, was promoted to Division President of a new Producer Media Division. Now Farm Journal’s largest division, she has overarching responsibility for all crop and livestock franchises including magazines, websites, mobile messaging and other digital offerings, television, radio and events.
Matt Morgan was promoted to Executive Vice President, Produce Division, from his previous role as Senior Vice President, Digital and Data. He leads the full produce product portfolio including print, digital, events and the new Produce Market Guide marketplace platform.
“The Crops/Livestock, Produce and Trust In Food Divisions will work in tandem with the new DDMS division to build custom solutions and campaigns marrying the Company’s data with highengagement communications brands and strategies,” Weber noted.
Brian Conrady was promoted to Executive Vice President, Crop Digital and Broadcast, adding Farm Journal’s robust AgWeb suite of digital products to existing television and radio responsibilities where he was previously Senior Vice President of Farm Journal’s Broadcast Division.
Stephanie Gable is promoted to Vice President, DDMS Operations, from Vice President of Content Services, in a move to grow the internal service group supporting Farm Journal’s go-to-market strategy in all divisions.
Dennis Hecht is promoted to Vice President, Business Intelligence, as the Company continues to add data scientists and analysts as part of DDMS to increasingly deliver data-driven insights and strategies to the marketplace.
Jeff Pence moves from Division President to Chief Operating Officer, where he assumes responsibility for Company infrastructure including finance and accounting, technology and IT, budgeting and strategic business development processes while continuing to oversee mergers and acquisitions.
Riley Higby joins the Company from Informa PLC, becoming Vice President of Doane and Data Sales, and the first of several key new hires in the company’s new Data and Research Division.
Ron Wall, Division President, announces his retirement effective with the hire of the new DDMS Division President in the first quarter of 2019. Wall, however, will be active throughout 2019, serving as adviser to Weber and Steve Custer, Farm Journal President, helping mentor the new organizational structure.
About Farm Journal Media (farmjournalmedia.com)
Farm Journal Media is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 141 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; business magazines; events; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile text marketing business; and an array of data-driven paid information products. Farm Journal Media also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the Company established the non-profit, public charity Farm Journal Foundation dedicated to sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.