From the editor: New owner, same mission

By Pat Foran, Editor

As we reported in our Daily News on Jan. 29, Trade Press Media Group Inc. has been acquired by Forum Media Group, which is based in Merching, Germany.

Founded in 1915, Trade Press Media Group is a business-to-business media company covering the facilities management, commercial cleaning and rail industries — the latter in the form of Progressive Railroading magazine, ProgressiveRailroading.com, our Daily News, the Car & Locomotive Yearbook, the Track Yearbook, and the annual RailTrends and Secure Rail conferences.

Bob Wisniewski, who had been with Trade Press for 45 years, and owner and CEO of the company for almost 30 years, said he was “excited and pleased to turn over control of our company to Forum Media Group,” which has a global footprint with operating subsidiaries in 18 countries. He was “particularly pleased to have found a buyer committed to maintaining the Milwaukee office, positioning it as their foothold for entering the U.S. market,” Wisniewski said.

Said Forum Chairman and Owner Ronald Herkert: “We are very happy to welcome Trade Press Media Group into the Forum family and look forward to continue together the proud history of this long-standing company.”

The acquisition is “an important milestone towards our vision of becoming a globally recognized media company,” added Roland Hradek, supervising Forum board member. “I am excited to work with the U.S. team to take advantage of synergies that will drive our continuous mutual growth.”

Jeff Schenk, who had been chief operating officer and CFO of Trade Press, is now the company’s president and CEO. Trade Press will operate as a Forum subsidiary. And the Progressive Railroading team will continue to strive to put freight- and passenger-rail industry issues and trends into clear, concise and current context for North American railroad executives and managers.

“Our partnership with Forum Media Group will not change who we are or what we do,” said Progressive Railroading Publisher Kirk Bastyr. “What it will do is give us access to their leadership and best practices, allowing us to continue to improve and expand our award-winning editorial, innovative print and digital products, top-notch live events and valuable business-building opportunities you are accustomed to receiving from us.”

Which means: Managing Editor Jeff Stagl, Senior Associate Editor Julie Sneider and Associate Editor Dan Niepow will continue to report, write, package and deliver information the way they always have (in some new ways, as well). I will, too.

I’m looking forward to benchmarking with our new Forum family members.

I’m also very, very happy for Bob, who I’ve respected as a leader and counted as a friend for more than three decades. Congratulations, Bob. Thanks for everything. I’m grateful to you.

Congrats, too, to Jeff Schenk, a friend and colleague for the past 15 years. Looking forward to pushing ahead with you on this next leg of the journey, Jeff.