Valley native takes helm at Reader’s Digest
The new publisher at the iconic magazine was editor of a Wilson High paper.
Supportive parents encouraged Tracey Altman to follow her heart. And follow her heart she did — into the publisher’s seat at Reader’s Digest.
The Youngstown native was named vice president, publisher of the national magazine in September, after an eight-year stint at Publishing Group of America. She had been senior vice president and group publisher at that company, which publishes magazines and other content that are carried in newspapers.
She made the move, Altman said, because a magazine about hope, optimism and community is more relevant and engaging to readers than ever.
“On top of that, I’ve launched three magazines with my current company … and all three were successful launches, so I was kind of ready for my next venture,” she said.
Altman had an early start in the publishing world — she was editor of the Redmen Review while a student at Woodrow Wilson High School. And it was her experiences in the journalism department at Wilson that gave her the confidence to enter the magazine journalism major at Ohio University when she graduated high school in 1981.
Altman graduated in 1986 from the Ohio journalism school and found herself drawn to the advertising end of the industry, rather than writing. Her first job after graduating was in the advertising department of New York magazine.
At Reader’s Digest, Altman is heading up ad sales and marketing, focusing on increasing revenue numbers and on the “life well shared” mission of the 86-year-old magazine.
She began her duties last week, replacing an executive who left in May.
“Probably my first couple of weeks, I’m going to get up-to-speed meeting each one of them and figuring out where the opportunities are, where the challenges are, and how best to meet our goals in the upcoming year as we go into 2009,” she said.
Americans have many media options today, Altman acknowledges, noting that not too long ago there were about 10 television channels. Now, however, with cable and satellite TV, there are hundreds of channels. Satellite and network radio give further options. And newspapers and magazines have both print editions and digital companions.
But Altman says “iconic, trusted magazines like Reader’s Digest will always have an important place with readers and marketers. The positive message celebrates all that is right in the world, from local heroes to the real side of celebrities.
“It is also a magazine families can leave on the coffee table for the entire household to read.”
While the economy is impacting everything from circulation to ad revenue to manufacturing, Altman said, “Reader’s Digest is in an excellent position in all types of economic environments and has weathered every storm over the past 80 years.”
The Pleasantville, N.Y.-based magazine has a U.S. circulation of 8 million and is published in more than 80 countries.
Altman will be based out of New York City, where she lives with her husband and two cats.
Though she has not lived in the Mahoning Valley for more than 20 years, Altman often visits her parents, Jim and Janice Cassidy of Boardman. She enjoys coming back to the area and visiting special spots, such as Mill Creek Park.
“It’s still so beautiful,” she said.