Major Golfdom news!

Hey everyone -- 

This press release just went out to the world about an hour ago. I'm very excited to announce it to you all here -- Golfdom has changed ownership! North Coast Media, a new business-to-business publisher created by Kevin Stoltman (who was the vice president of Questex Media, the company that previously owned Golfdom) is the magazine's new owner, effective immediately.

I'm very excited, for Kevin, but also for Golfdom and my team. I think this move will be a shot in the arm for Golfdom. My phone rang a couple times already on this... the thing I keep telling people is, this whole thing is really great news for Golfdom and our sister publications.


OK, here's the press release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORTH COAST MEDIA LAUNCHES AS LARGEST
B2B PUBLISHING COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN CLEVELAND
NCM’s Golfdom magazine -- featuring the industry’s favorite editorial team -- 
looks to build upon momentum in 2012

CLEVEAND, OH -- MAY 1, 2012 -- Today’s launch of North Coast Media, LLC (NCM) -- a spinoff of Questex Media Group’s Industrial & Specialty Group -- creates the largest B2B publishing company headquartered in Cleveland.

NCM comprises market-leading media brands Golfdom, Landscape Management (LM), Pest Management Professional (PMP), Pit & Quarry, LP Gas and GPS World -- along with their websites, enewsletters, social media and ancillary brands such as the Golfdom Insider, Golfdom TV, Putting Down Roots, the Golfdom Daily, Athletic Turf News and Inside Irrigation.

NCM's acquisition of the media properties includes a transition services agreement with Questex to ensure a seamless launch. The upstart will move one block, in late June, to its new headquarters:

North Coast Media
IMG Center
1360 East 9th Street, 10th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44114

Subsequent announcements will detail NCM's website launch and staff members’ new emails, and phone and fax numbers, as well as immediate investments in people and products.

"North Coast Media's brands, on average, have been serving their respective markets for 67 years," says NCM President Kevin Stoltman. "Most of these media properties were around long before we were born."

Golfdom magazine was founded in 1927 by World Golf Hall of Famer Herb Graffis and his brother Joe, making it one of golf's oldest magazines.

"Our entire NCM team recognizes this and truly covets our role as trustees of these industry treasures," Stoltman adds. "We pledge to do our best to continually advance these B2B media gems, as well as each of the industries, readers and marketing partners we serve."


All editorial and sales team members, as well as key support staff, involved with each of the acquired media brands eagerly joined North Coast Media. "Our team possesses hundreds of years of B2B media experience," says NCM President Kevin Stoltman.

On Day One, NCM increased its team of more than 30 seasoned B2B media professionals with the addition of four staff members; three more will join the company by July 1. Before year’s end, NCM will have expanded its roster 25%. North Coast Media pledges similar significant investments across all information platforms ― print, web, enews, social media, mobile, custom projects and events.

Golfdom, for instance, recently added a new research editor, a marketing manager and a web/digital media coordinator to an already-stellar team.

In its most recent reader survey, Golfdom was voted "best editorial team" and its Editor-in-Chief, Seth Jones, was voted "preferred industry editor" for a second year in a row.

Golfdom's editorial team includes Beth Geraci, a 15-year journalist and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism as its senior editor; Clark Throssell, Ph.D., former GCSAA director of research, as its research editor; Karl Danneberger, Ph.D., horticulture and crop science professor at The Ohio State University as its science editor; Anthony Williams, CGCS, CGM, director of golf and grounds at Stone Mountain Resort as its environmental editor; Joel Jackson, CGCS, executive director of the Florida GCSA, as a regular columnist; and the aforementioned Jones, a 14-year golf industry media veteran and graduate of Kansas University’s William Allen White School of Journalism.

Golfdom is proud to reach more golf course superintendents than any other magazine in the industry. Likewise, the magazine boasts more Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) design and editorial excellence awards than any of its rivals since 1999. Other awards on the mantle include a Gold Eddie award in 2005 and a Silver Ozzie award in 2006.

Not wanting to rest on its laurels, the magazine will undergo a major redesign this fall, spearheaded by Carrie Parkhill Wallace, Golfdom's award-winning art director.

"It’s an exciting day for Golfdom, with this newly created force in B2B publishing in North Coast Media now at the helm," Jones says. "The golf industry will see in the upcoming months that Golfdom has big plans for the future. My team is all on board, and we can’t wait to show our valued readers and marketing partners what’s next."

"Golfdom is in a fantastic position -- it has the brand recognition of a magazine that's been read by generations of golf industry professionals, combined with a new publishing company eager to take the magazine to the next level," says Pat Roberts, Golfdom's longtime vice president of sales. “Add in the industry's strongest editorial team to the mix, and people will see why Golfdom is the preferred magazine of this great industry.”

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About North Coast Media, LLC (NCM)
North Coast Media, LLC, is the largest B2B publishing company headquartered in Cleveland.
The company employs 35 professionals who collectively possess hundreds of years of experience creating and delivering unparalleled media -- from industry-leading print magazines, to websites and enewsletters, to social media and mobile solutions, to exclusive industry research, custom products and one-on-one buyer-seller networking events. NCM’s flagship brands include Golfdom, Landscape Management (LM), Pest Management Professional, LP Gas, Pit & Quarry and GPS World. Ancillary brands include Portable Plants & Equipment (PP&E), Geospatial Solutions, Athletic Turf News and Truman’s Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations.