In Odd Contest of ABC Seat, Conde Nast SVP Defeats Ziff Davis Challenger

By Dylan Stableford

In an unusual contest underscoring just how fractured recent circulation scandals have left its members, Peter Armour, senior vice president of consumer marketing at Advance Magazine Group and vice chairman of the 36-member Audit Bureau of Circulations
board, held off challenger
David Rock, director of online/partnerships at Ziff Davis Media, in a member-wide vote and will keep his seat on the board.

The results were announced today at ABC's annual business meeting board in New York. Just how close the vote was is unknown, though some members surveyed by FOLIO: in September had welcomed the prospect of a change. ("We desperately need a change from these weak-willed, lily-livered board members," one circulator had said.)

Members serve two-year terms, and typically are not challenged. Armour has been on the board for 14 years and has never been challenged.

Rock told FOLIO: in September
he was running out of frustation over ABC's lack of responsiveness to publishers. "Too often, publishers feel like they can't pick up the phone and call their representative;and really, that's what they're there for," Rock said. "We need a true publisher advocate on the board, someone who can articulate the challenges that publishers face."

John Squires, president, Sports Illustrated and executive vice president, Time Inc., was also reelected to a two-year term.

Others elected to two-year terms:

> Robert W. Althaus, vice president of circulation, Gannett Co. Inc.
> Michael K. Brown, director, corporate media, Target Corporation
> Donna Campanella, director/team leader, media, Pfizer Inc.
> Sheila Field, senior vice president of marketing and sales promotion, Macy's
> Alec Gerster, chief executive officer, Initiative Worldwide
> James W. Hopson, publisher, Wisconsin State Journal, vice president, Lee Enterprises
> Robert M. Jelenic, chairman and chief executive officer, Journal Register Company
> Renetta E. McCann, chief executive officer, Starcom MediaVest Group
> James H. McGraw IV, group publisher, The McGraw-Hill Companies
> Vikki Schwartzman, vice president, corporate media director, L'Oreal USA
> Brian Segal, president and chief executive officer, Rogers Publishing, Rogers Media
> Craig M. Sinclair, vice president of advertising, Walgreen Co.
> Howard G. Sutton, chairman of the board, publisher, president and chief executive officer, The Providence Journal Company
> Robert Troutbeck, president, Troutbeck-Chernoff
> David R. Verklin, chief executive officer, Carat Americas
> Gary L. Vorpahl, director of marketing, W.D. Hoard & Sons Company

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