National Election Results Are In!

Slate of officers for 2005–2007 approved.

The nominees submitted by ASBPE’s Board of Directors have been approved by the membership.The newly elected officers will serve a two-year term beginning July 1, 2005. The new officers will be:

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 believe ASBPE has been on the right track the last four years under Paul Heney and Rob Freedman,” Harris says. “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.”

Harris’ plans include increasing membership, encouraging the chapter system, and continuing ASBPE’s involvement 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. [Editor’s note: The forums have indeed been improved — see “ASBPE’s Discussion Forums Are Now Easier to Use” for details.]

“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

“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.

“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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