BPA Worldwide Elects Microsoft’s John Kahan
as Board Chairman, New Directors

Global media auditor BPA Worldwide has elected a new Chairman of the Board, John Kahan, and new directors, for terms commencing July 1, 2005.

Mr. Kahan is General Manager of the Global Relationship Marketing Group at Microsoft Corporation, responsible for Microsoft's relationship marketing efforts across all product and customer segments worldwide. He oversees all direct and interactive marketing, as well as worldwide customer data, CRM systems, and Microsoft.com publishing. Before joining Microsoft, Mr. Kahan was Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communication for IBM's Sales and Distribution Division, responsible for all integrated marketing activities for IBM's customer-facing teams worldwide. His oversight, on a global basis, included advertising, direct marketing, trade shows/events, collateral, Web marketing for IBM's industry and mid-market customers, business partners, solutions business, and www.ibm.com. In total, Mr. Kahan served in marketing and sales with IBM for more than 18 years, including more than 11 years in international marketing.

BPA’s board chairmen serve one-year terms.

Newly elected BPA board directors, for three-year terms, are:

Steven Bloom (agency representative) is a Senior Partner and Associate Director of Print Communications at Mediaedge: cia. Mr. Bloom oversees a broad range of business and general consumer accounts for this print specialty unit, including Accenture, Xerox, Cingular, TD Waterhouse, MetLife, DHL International, ABB and Novell. He joined Mediaedge:cia in March 2000, and has employed his experience in general communications planning, as well as at MEC’s on-line division, MEC:Interaction, in creating cross-platform deals for major clients. His background also includes positions at Dewitt Media and Ogilvy & Mather. His account roster at these agencies included BMW of North America, Landrover, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the National Basketball Association. He is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C.

Dawn M. DiMartino (advertiser representative) is Director, Integrated Marketing for AT&T. Ms. DiMartino has 20 years of marketing and communications experience, ranging from journalism to brand strategy to direct marketing to public relations to advertising. For the past eight years, she has energized hundreds of AT&T marketing professionals engaged in driving business value. In 2004, she began the effort to globally reposition AT&T as “The World’s Networking Company(sm),” shifting brand perceptions from a pipes-and-ports supplier to a trusted networking solutions partner. Named one of the “Top 10 B-to-B Marketers” by BtoB Magazine in 2001 for the $40 million integrated “Innovative Networking” campaign, Ms. DiMartino chairs the Association of National Advertisers’
B-to-B Committee and is a board member of the Business Marketing Association of New York, as well as a frequent speaker at industry events. She graduated from Boston College, magna cum laude, received her MBA from Simmons College, and has done post-graduate work at Kellogg University and Harvard Business School.        

Jayne Gilsinger (publisher representative) is Senior Vice President, Planning, Development & Strategic Policy Advancement for PennWell Corporation, and also serves as the company’s corporate secretary. Since joining PennWell in 1987, she has been involved in numerous acquisitions for PennWelll and PennEnergy, several start-ups, and other business development projects. Ms. Gilsinger also directly manages MAPSearch, a PennWell data business that provides information and maps for the petroleum and power industries. She represents PennWell on the American Business Media’s Board of Directors. She is a graduate of Indiana University and received her MBA at the University of Tulsa.

Dean Stoneley (advertiser representative) was named Director, Marketing Communications for Ford of Canada in January 2005, responsible for all corporate marketing communications, including television, radio, print, outdoor, Internet, direct mail and product brochures. Mr. Stoneley also manages the large portfolio of Ford of Canada sponsorships. Previously, he was the Car Group Marketing Manager for Ford Division, based out of Dearborn, Michigan, managing the brand teams for all Ford Brand car lines, including the successful product launches of the all-new Ford Five Hundred, Freestyle, Mustang and Ford GT. Prior to his position in Ford Division, he spent three years as the Product Marketing Manager on the development of the Ford Fusion, an all-new, mid-size car that will be launched in Fall 2005. He has acquired extensive experience through numerous sales and marketing positions during his 13 years with the Ford Motor Company.

Peggy Walker (publisher representative) is President of Vance Publishing Corporation. Vance serves the business-to-business community with 28 magazines, as well as numerous newsletters, Web offerings and data and custom media products. A 25-year publishing veteran, Ms. Walker is well versed in managing today’s multi-faceted, cross-media publishing environment, and has experience in strategic planning, acquisitions, preparing properties for sale or merger, and managing transitions in ownership. She has been active in American Business Media throughout her career. She holds a BA in Business Administration from Mundelein College, Chicago. 

Gregory A. Watt (publishing representative) is President and Chief Operating Officer of Watt Publishing Co., a fourth-generation, privately held B-to-B media company serving the agribusiness, food and woodworking industries through print, online, trade shows and events. The company is based in Mt. Morris, Illinois, with additional offices in Des Plaines, Illinois, England and The Netherlands, and distributes its products in more than 130 countries worldwide. Mr. Watt is involved in all aspects of the company's strategic direction, operations, acquisition selection and integration. He is an active member of  American Business Media, currently serving on its Publishers’ Committee and as Vice-Chair of the Smaller Publishers’ Advisory Committee.

Matthew Yorke (publishing representative) is Vice President, Business Development for International Data Group’s Corporate Sales Group. He relocated to the U.S. in July 2004 to take this promotion. Prior to joining IDG Corporate Sales, Mr. Yorke was Senior Vice President, Business Development for IDG Global Solutions. In that position, he was responsible for IDG’s client relationships in EMEA and representing IDG to its clients by working with IDG business units in other parts of the world. In this role, he developed innovative integrated marketing programs that span IDG’s assets in many countries. In 2002, one program was voted “Best ICT Campaign” by M&M Europe. He joined IDG Global Solutions in January 1999, as Business Development Director EMEA.

In addition to Mr. Kahan, re-elected directors (for three-year terms) are:

Norma Birnbaum, Vice President, Director, Strategic Planning, Medicus Group (agency representative)

Harvey Botting, Senior Vice President, Business Information Group, Rogers Publishing (publisher representative)

David Green, Director of Marketing, AmPAC Region, Fluke Corporation (advertiser representative)

Francis Heid, Vice President, Publishing Operations, Advanstar Communications (publisher representative)       

Tim Hughes, Managing Partner, Client Business Director, MindShare Canada (agency representative)

Colleen Milway, Global Media Director, Campbell Soup Company (advertiser representative)

Toni Nevitt, President, eMedia and Information Marketing, VNU Business Media, Inc. (publisher representative)

Michael Paradiso, Vice President, Global Research Director, Computer Associates (advertiser representative)