Leadership Transition Continues at <i>CSNews</i>
NEW YORK -- After 17 years with Convenience Store News, the past seven as publisher and editorial director, Maureen Azzato has resigned her position to take some time off and eventually pursue other opportunities.
During her tenure with CSNews -- starting as a senior writer and rising to her latest position, through the transitions of several owners from Macfadden Publishing to Nielsen Business Media -- Maureen's contribution to the brand and the staff has been unmistakable and significant.
"I never would have guessed all those years ago that my career would have been happily devoted to growing and leading this formidable brand, which is so highly respected and trusted by the industry," Azzato said. "So now, after 17 years of service, I am passing on the stewardship of Convenience Store News to others so that I can pursue my next professional endeavor."
"Maureen would be the first to say, 'Been there, done that,' and hence her need for a change and a new challenge," said Scott J. Seltz, vice president/publishing director of the Retail Food Group of Nielsen Business Media. "Please join me in wishing Maureen the best in her new endeavors."
Seltz noted that Azzato's departure comes as Convenience Store News continues to show tremendous innovation in its product portfolio, ever-increasing acceptance and preference among retailers and suppliers over other industry media sources while steadily growing in revenue, profits and market share.
"In just the last 24 months, we've redesigned our magazine and Web site, launched the industry's first magazine for single-store owners, and received rave reviews for our just-completed Future Forum conference," Seltz said. "This is what I envisioned three years ago when I started with the brand."
Don Longo, Convenience Store News editor-in-chief, will assume Maureen's responsibilities of managing the content direction of CSNews for the Single Store Owner magazine and the development and execution of Convenience Store News' retailer events: Future Forum, Convenience Industry Hall of Fame, Forecast Council and the Category Best Practices Roundtable series.
"For the past year, Maureen has been a great coach, tutor and adviser in preparation for this inevitable point in time," Longo said. "The CSNews team, under my continued direction, promises to uphold the torch, and deliver the balanced reporting, industry analysis and benchmarking research that our readers have come to expect and rely on."
Convenience Store News brand development, sales and marketing will continue under Seltz' direction, while Longo will continue to direct the brand's overall content direction and execution, reporting to Seltz.
During her tenure with CSNews -- starting as a senior writer and rising to her latest position, through the transitions of several owners from Macfadden Publishing to Nielsen Business Media -- Maureen's contribution to the brand and the staff has been unmistakable and significant.
"I never would have guessed all those years ago that my career would have been happily devoted to growing and leading this formidable brand, which is so highly respected and trusted by the industry," Azzato said. "So now, after 17 years of service, I am passing on the stewardship of Convenience Store News to others so that I can pursue my next professional endeavor."
"Maureen would be the first to say, 'Been there, done that,' and hence her need for a change and a new challenge," said Scott J. Seltz, vice president/publishing director of the Retail Food Group of Nielsen Business Media. "Please join me in wishing Maureen the best in her new endeavors."
Seltz noted that Azzato's departure comes as Convenience Store News continues to show tremendous innovation in its product portfolio, ever-increasing acceptance and preference among retailers and suppliers over other industry media sources while steadily growing in revenue, profits and market share.
"In just the last 24 months, we've redesigned our magazine and Web site, launched the industry's first magazine for single-store owners, and received rave reviews for our just-completed Future Forum conference," Seltz said. "This is what I envisioned three years ago when I started with the brand."
Don Longo, Convenience Store News editor-in-chief, will assume Maureen's responsibilities of managing the content direction of CSNews for the Single Store Owner magazine and the development and execution of Convenience Store News' retailer events: Future Forum, Convenience Industry Hall of Fame, Forecast Council and the Category Best Practices Roundtable series.
"For the past year, Maureen has been a great coach, tutor and adviser in preparation for this inevitable point in time," Longo said. "The CSNews team, under my continued direction, promises to uphold the torch, and deliver the balanced reporting, industry analysis and benchmarking research that our readers have come to expect and rely on."
Convenience Store News brand development, sales and marketing will continue under Seltz' direction, while Longo will continue to direct the brand's overall content direction and execution, reporting to Seltz.