Time to Vote!

ASBPE board submits nominations for 2005–2007 national officers.

The ASBPE Board of Directors has submitted the following list of nominees to stand for a membership vote on the Society’s new national officers.Elected officers will serve a two-year term beginning July 1, 2005.

A ballot will be printed in the January/February issue of the ASBPE national newsletter. The newsletter ballot can be filled out and mailed to National Election, ASBPE, 214 N. Hale St., Wheaton, IL 60187 alternatively, members can e-mail to info@asbpe.org. Votes must arrive by Friday, March 11, 2005.

The Candidates

President: Roy Harris

Harris has been senior editor of The Economist Group’s CFO magazine, in Boston, for nine years. Before joining CFO, he spent 23 years at The Wall Street Journal, including six as deputy chief of the 14-member Los Angeles bureau.

With ASBPE, Harris was New England/ Boston chapter president before being elected national vice president two years ago, heading the awards program, acting as National Editorial Conference master of ceremonies, and helping initiate ASBPE’s Stephen Barr Award for business magazine writing. He is also a winner of several ASBPE Awards of Excellence.

Harris has B.S.J. and M.S.J. degrees from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism.

Goals

“I treasure [the awards] I’ve won [with ASBPE], but not as much as the professional and personal associations ASBPE has helped me establish with editors from around the nation.

“I believe ASBPE has been on the right track the last four years under Paul Heney and Rob Freedman. It has cultivated the Awards of Excellence to recognize the best work that business publications do each year, and at the same time has made a contribution to journalism education — largely through the extraordinary Best Practices of the Business Press textbook.

“I would work to pump up membership, encouraging the chapter system, and continuing to raise our national profile by having ASBPE join other organizations in speaking out on journalistic issues.”

Vice President: Portia Stewart

Stewart is managing editor of custom communications at Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications, where she produces newsletters, special supplements, and custom publications for the veterinary profession.

Stewart is also immediate past president of ASBPE’s Kansas City chapter. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1999 with a B.A. in magazine journalism.

Goals

“My goals are to continue to strengthen the education programs ASBPE offers, to offer more member benefits, and to connect members with the national organization.

“The first step is to consider new ways to reach members using technology, including e-newsletters, educational teleconferences, and new and improved question-and-answer forums.

“The second step is to market these measures to members to build awareness. I think ASBPE is leading the way in these areas.

“[I also want] to encourage students to start thinking about jobs in the business press and about membership in ASBPE before they leave school. We can achieve this through such measures as an ASBPE-sponsored scholarship and student chapters of ASBPE.”

Treasurer: Ira Pilchen

Pilchen is editor of the American Bar Association’s Student Lawyer (circulation 34,000). In addition to his editorial duties, he develops the magazine’s annual budget and oversees expenditures.

Pilchen has served as treasurer of ASBPE’s Chicago chapter since 2004 and as a chapter board member since 2001. For the past four years, he has helped plan and manage the chapter’s annual awards dinner, which attracts nearly 100 guests each year. As treasurer, he closely monitors the chapter’s income and spending, pays bills, and makes deposits of checks received.

Goals

“As a strong believer in the value of professional associations, I’d be honored to serve ASBPE as its treasurer. My goal is simple: to lend the organization my time, talents, and passion so that members can receive the best that ASBPE has to offer.

“As treasurer of the Chicago chapter, I have demonstrated the ability to understand and develop budgets. I am a responsible keeper of the books, and I demand fiscal accountability from our activities’ organizers.

“I trust that my professional experience and volunteer activities with a variety of organizations, combined with my utmost respect for ASBPE, will contribute to a dynamic, constructive, and responsible group of national officers.”

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