Boulder, Colorado, USA — August 7, 2019 — Robin Thurston, one of the world’s leading digital media and sports entrepreneurs, has been named CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media, the holding company that owns VeloNews, Triathlete, Women’s Running, PodiumRunner, Bicycle Retailer, VeloPress, and VeloSwap. Thurston now shares ownership with Chairman Felix Magowan and investors Steve Maxwell and Greg Thomas.
Thurston was until recently the CEO of Helix, a fast-growing Silicon Valley startup acclaimed for building the world’s first personal genomics platform and a source for DNA learning. Under his leadership, Helix pioneered true next-generation sequencing to create a marketplace for DNA-powered products that will empower every person to improve their life through DNA.
Before joining Helix, Thurston cofounded and built MapMyFitness into one of the world’s largest open fitness tracking platforms. Following the acquisition of MapMyFitness by Under Armour, he joined the innovative sports apparel organization and served as Chief Digital Offer, where he led the overall strategic direction of the company’s Connected Fitness business. Prior to starting MapMyFitness, Thurston held senior executive positions at Lipper — A Reuters Company, American Century Investments, and Wellington Management.
“It’s hard to image someone more qualified to be CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media than Robin,” said Magowan. “He built arguably the most successful digital company in the endurance media space. He’s a lifelong cyclist and endurance athlete and has been an avid reader of our brands since 1983. Robin’s goal is to leverage Pocket Outdoor Media to become the leading destination for endurance athletes.”
Thurston added, “We will become the global home for athletes by taking Pocket Outdoor Media’s core strength, which is great content, and more creatively selling and distribution it across more platforms worldwide.”
About Pocket Outdoor Media
Pocket Outdoor Media is the world’s leading producer of running, cycling, and triathlon content. From web to print, podcast to social, Pocket Outdoor Media content is best-in-class. Our brands engaged with the most active and influential consumers in endurance sports 311 million times last year. Our brands include VeloNews, America’s leading bike racing media brand; Triathlete, the world’s #1 triathlon resource; Women’s Running, the most popular resource for women runners; PodiumRunner, the most trusted resource for performance-minded runners; Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, the world’s leading bicycle trade journal; and VeloPress, the world’s leading publisher of books on endurance sports. Pocket Outdoor Media is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. See more at pocketoutdoormedia.com.
Advertising, Sponsorships, and Partnerships
Nick Ramey, National Endemic Sales Director, nramey@pocketoutdoormedia.com, (720) 400-9943
Lauren Ondersma, National Non-Endemic Sales Director, londersma@pocketoutdoormedia.com, (716) 481-4832
Running and Triathlon Group
Shannon Standefer, Women’s Running & PodiumRunner Sales Director, sstandefer@pocketoutdoormedia.com, (303) 245-2111
Lars Finanger, Triathlete Director of Sales and Brand Development, lfinanger@pocketoutdoormedia.com, (303) 828-8034
Cycling Group
Mark Gouge, National Sales Director, mgouge@pocketoutdoormedia.com, (303) 385-7755
East Coast: Karl Wiedemann, kwiedemann@bicycleretailer.com, (203) 906-5806
Midwest: Barry Kingwill or Jim Kingwill, barry@kingwillco.com or jim@kingwillco.com, (847) 537-9196
Mountain Region: Ellen Butler, ebutler@bicycleretailer.com, (720) 288-0160
West Coast: Gary Newkirk, gnewkirk@bicycleretailer.com, (949) 632-4223
Pocket Outdoor Media
4745 Walnut St., Unit A
Boulder, CO USA 80301
pocketoutdoormedia.com
