As I mentioned a few weeks ago, 2025 will bring some changes to our company, too, with the retirement of our beloved Holly Biller (see my blog) and the announcement of our new management team. 

We’ve had three years to prepare for Holly’s departure. Early on, we decided we would not try to replace Holly (as if anyone could!) but rather create an expanded management team that would reflect how our parent company, Key Media & Research (KMR), has grown. That’s exactly what we’ve done, and I am delighted that you will see many familiar faces as they assume their new roles on January 1.

Barry Atkins has been named president of KMR. He previously served as the account executive for international advertising accounts. He also handles sponsorship and exhibit sales for the regional Glass Expos™ as well as Auto Glass Week™ and the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off™.

Barry has been with KMR for five years. Previously, he worked in information technology, telecommunications, government contracting, and financial services. He owned and managed a retail business for 13 years, a role familiar to many readers. He has helped expand the footprint and influence of KMR Glass Expos and enjoys serving the many new customers he meets who advertise in the KMR publications.

Ellen Rogers continues as vice president of content and editorial. With over two decades of experience in the field, she is a leading voice in the glass industry and has covered just about every industry topic there is. Ellen began her career here in 2000 as an assistant editor and later served as managing editor before being promoted to editor.

Under Ellen’s leadership, USGlass has grown to become the premier source of information for the glass industry in North America. Ellen is a five-time Jesse H. Neal Award finalist—considered the “Pulitzer of B2B journalism,” and was the Neal winner in 2022 in the Best Technical/Scientific Content category. She has also won multiple regional and national Azbees from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. 

Nick St. Denis is KMR’s new vice president for research and data. Having covered the markets KMR serves for over a decade, leading the research division (and previously as an editor of several publications), Nick works closely with businesses to provide key insights that drive their decision-making. In addition to conducting custom research projects, he was instrumental in developing the quarterly and annual industry outlook reports that are used by firms across the industry, as well as the GlassData portal and subscription service. (If you have not checked GlassData out, I hope you do).

Drew Vass is KMR’s new vice president for creative and client services. He has more than two decades of experience as a professional writer, editor and journalist. He also serves as executive editor of [DWM] magazine. He has garnered numerous awards and recognitions over the years, including from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the Public Relations Society of America and as a finalist for the Neal Awards.

Prior to his career as a writer and journalist, Drew also worked in the residential construction industry, both in the office and in the field (installing his fair share of doors and windows along the way). His work as a creative copywriter and strategist on everything from branding, websites and video productions, to nationally publicized print, radio and TV ads, also earns him the label of “creative multi-tool.”

While we will all miss Holly, I feel so fortunate to continue my role as CEO with this amazing team in place. Your success is our number one priority. Happy New Year!