LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN) — Megan Tompkins, a former Bicycle Retailer & Industry News editor, has been named the magazine’s publisher. Tompkins is only the fourth person to lead the 22-year-old publication.
Tompkins, who will oversee sales, marketing and operations, replaces Marc Sani, who is stepping down from management to focus on reporting on industry news and events.
Sani, now 66, was the magazine’s founding editor and led the editorial team that launched the magazine in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1992.
Bill Tanler, now deceased, was a co-founder along with Sani, and was BRAIN’s first publisher. Terry Moyes, who remains with the magazine as its circulation director, held the publisher’s title until its move to Southern California in 2000.
As publisher, Sani steered the magazine through numerous management transitions, including its move to Southern California and later engineering a licensing agreement with the National Bicycle Dealers Association. The NBDA continues to license and operate the magazine under an agreement with Emerald Expositions, parent company of Interbike.
“Personally, handing the magazine over to Megan could well be one of the better decisions I’ve made,” said Sani. “She’s smart. She has the energy to build a publication for the digital age. And she’s fast on a bike—she poses a real threat on a group ride for anyone with a fragile ego,” he quipped.
“All kidding aside, Megan loves the industry, respects its culture and is as comfortable talking with industry leaders as she is with any retailer in the country,” Sani added.
Tompkins, who had been the magazine’s editor for seven years, rejoined the staff in April after two years in sales and marketing for several leading industry suppliers. She has been developing new strategies to expand the magazine’s online and digital presence. And she recently spearheaded the launch of BRAIN’s weekly electronic newsletter.
As publisher, however, she also will focus on increasing print and web revenue, developing brand extensions and forging strategic partnerships.
Tompkins said she’s eager to tackle the challenges posed by publishing in the digital age. “I’m excited to work more closely with advertisers, helping create tailored solutions to better communicate with retailers and help grow their businesses,” she said.
“My goal is to evolve the magazine in both print and digital formats in a way that it continues to occupy a central role in the industry and provide meaningful, relevant and timely business news,” Tompkins said.
