Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/322272
EPG Media/Specialty Information Media 3300 Fernbrook Lane N, Suite 200 Plymouth, MN 55447 OPE Staff Group Publisher Jeff Patterson Associate Publisher John Kmitta Editor Steve Noe Art Director Brian Snook Production Manager Karen Kalinyak Direct Mail List Sales MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com Reprint Service Joanne Juda, Sr. VP Market Development (630) 399-9864; email jjuda@specialtyim.com Editorial Advisory Board Former Executive Director, EETC (retired) Jim Roche Senior Advisor, Servantage Dixie Sales Jim Starmer Pres., Plano Power Equipment and Whipper Clipper Glen Whitt Director of Sales and Marketing, Central Power Distributors, Inc. John D. Hedges Circulation For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (847) 763-9565 or fax (847) 763-9569 business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of adver- tising claims in connection with items appearing in Outdoor Power Equipment. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorse- ment by Outdoor Power Equipment or Specialty Information Media, or preference over similar products not mentioned. Account Representatives: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (248) 731-7596 lpalmer@specialtyim.com Upfront Editor Steve Noe snoe@specialtyim.com 6 O U T D O O R P O W E R E Q U I P M E N T w w w. o u t d o o r p o w e re q u i p m e n t . c o m Editorial Offices EPG Media/Specialty Information Media 3300 Fernbrook Lane N, Suite 200 Plymouth, MN 55447 ooking back at the rich, 55-year history of this magazine, I feel truly honored and blessed to have served as its editor and caretaker for the past 16-1/2 years. Bill Quinn, who celebrated his 102nd birthday on May 15, founded this mag- azine as Lawn Equipment Journal (LEJ) in September 1959. Ten years later, he had the foresight to rename the magazine Outdoor Power Equipment, starting with the September 1969 issue. With the help of his wife Lynn ("Lennie") and son Rix, Bill Quinn proceeded to grow OPE into the number one OPE dealer magazine for the next 20 years before he sold it for an offer he couldn't refuse in 1988. Bill Quinn chronicles the first 30 years of this magazine in our cover story on pages 14-19, so I will devote the rest of this column to addressing the history of the magazine during my tenure. When Bill Quinn switched the name of the magazine to Outdoor Power Equipment, I was only about 3 months old. And when I was named the editor of OPE, starting with the December 1997 issue, I figured that I would hang onto the job for about a year or so and then move on. Well, I took such a liking to this industry that I did the math the other day, and determined that the next issue will be my 200th as editor of OPE. And it has been one heck of a ride. Along the way, I've had the great fortune to travel to several fantastic places, meet many incredible people, and make some great friends. I don't want to name the names of those people because I'm afraid that I may accidentally leave someone out, but you know who you are. I've enjoyed traveling at least once to the following destinations: Cancun, Mexico; Las Vegas; Orlando, Jacksonville and Amelia Island, Fla.; San Diego and Napa Valley, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; San Antonio; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Portland, Ore.; Atlanta; Baltimore; Indianapolis; Hershey, Pa.; and Milwaukee and Kohler, Wis. And while I believe that I've been to Louisville 18 times, I look forward to going there every year for the annual trade show now known as the Green Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO). I've witnessed so many changes in this industry from consolidation at all levels (with many manufacturers being acquired and reduced to brand names and often discontin- ued) to the changing of the guard at companies and other organizations to product in- novations and technological advances such as the emergence of e-commerce and Social Media. I remember when many dealers only used a phone and fax machine to do busi- ness. Many dealers didn't own a computer and refused to use one, and they certainly didn't have their own websites. Now, dealers must have both to survive, and probably should have multiple mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as a Face- book page. OPE has undergone some transformations on my watch too from being published at a digest size to a standard size to a slightly larger-than-standard size and recently back to standard size again. As for my job, I've gone from serving not only as the editor of a monthly magazine, but also as the editor of a website (www.outdoor powerequipment.com) and a weekly e-newsletter (OPExtra) to reach out to readers at least five times a month…and that's not even counting staying in touch with you at the drop of a hat via our Facebook page at GreenMediaMags. Yes, we live in a much different, fast-paced world than we did when I started at OPE. Where will this job and industry take me next? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm looking forward to continuing this journey, and I hope you will join me for the ride. OPE continues 55-year journey L OPE