Edgell Communications Reorganizes

Consolidates leadership in ‘core’ brands; four positions eliminated.

By Jason Fell
11/21/2008

New Jersey-based b-to-b publisher Edgell Communications has announced a strategic restructuring the company says will consolidate leadership of several brands.

As part of the reorganization, four employees—or about 5 percent of Edgell’s overall workforce—were laid off. “We are critically analyzing every facet of our operation to create new efficiencies and synergies,” COO Dan Ligorner wrote in an e-mail to FOLIO:.

Rob Keenan, vice president of online media, will shift to the newly-created position of vice president of media integration. Keenan also will oversee editorial operations and help identify “collaboration and efficiencies” across Edgell’s markets, the company said.

Several publishers are taking on additional responsibilities: Vertical Systems Reseller publisher Albert Guffanti will take on brand management for Consumer Goods Technology; Hospitality Technology publisher Lenore O’Meara will direct the Next Generation Self-Service portal; and Dorene VanHouten, publisher of Mobile Enterprise, will assume management responsibility for Edgell’s seasonal merchandising group, which includes the Greetings etc., Selling Christmas Decorations and Selling Halloween franchises.

On the editorial side, Abigail Lorden was named editor-in-chief of Hospitality Technology and Vertical Systems Reseller magazines as well as the Next Generation Self-Service portal, which Edgell says it hopes to launch soon. Alliston Ackerman was named editor of Consumer Goods Technology and Regina Ciardello was promoted to editor of Vertical Systems Reseller.

“The growth of our online portfolio has fueled new print products, increased event attendance and is having a measurable increase in audience engagement,” Ligorner wrote in the e-mail. “We’re accelerating that process by actively looking for new ways to break down all the barriers between mediums so we’re delivering content to the right audience through the right medium at the right time.”

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The problem w/Edgell

Submitted by Retail Trade Veteran on Mon, 12/01/2008 - 17:48.

I have been a retail trade editor for 20 years. I worked at Edgell for a horrible seven months. While the retail trade segment is suffering from many issues related to retail/vendor consolidation, Edgell has some problems all of its own, namely that they are more interested in processes than products. The production of magazines/Web sites/events is run like a train schedule--it is more important that everything stay on track than that it be innovative and competitive. Everything follows an exact formula. Thus, there is little room for change or new ideas or input from individuals. The Edgell people are nice and well meaning and they own the retail technology market. But if the don't lossen up, their days are really numbered. They also have trouble recruiting/keeping good people because they are in the hinterlands of Western NJ. They are really out of the loop of what is going on in trade publishing.