RDA Announces New Global Marketing Organization

November 6, 2009

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. today announced a new Global Marketing organization as part of RDA's initiative to accelerate its business transformation as it prepares to emerge from pre-arranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early in 2010. The announcement was made by Amy J. Radin, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer.

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Among a number of assignments in a global realignment of the marketing function, Radin announced four key appointments to the new Global Marketing team, which bring together under one banner the Consumer Marketing and digital teams:

    --  Lisa Karpinski, Chief Marketing Officer, RDA Milwaukee, becomes U.S.
        Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for U.S. marketing and promotion. 
        Karpinski will help translate affinity and brand objectives into
        marketing strategies, promotion, and innovation across all direct
        marketing channels.  All of the U.S. magazines, books, music and Weekly
        Reader marketing team members will report to Karpinski and her
        Milwaukee-based team.
    --  Cara Schlanger, Vice President, Global Consumer Marketing/Magazines,
        will move to a new role as Vice President, International Marketing and
        Promotion, unifying all marketing and promotion efforts focused on
        International businesses.  Schlanger will be responsible for promoting
        smart practices including multi-channel marketing and promotion,
        enhanced use of RDA's database assets, and adoption of effective digital
        marketing and development practices.
    --  Kate Gutman, most recently Vice President of Digital Business
        Development and Operations at Rodale, joins RDA effective today as Vice
        President, Digital Revenue, succeeding Jonathan Hills, who earlier
        became General Manager, readersdigest.com.  Gutman will be responsible
        for helping to accelerate digital revenue growth globally, including
        providing leadership on RDA's content syndication strategy, advancing
        the New Global Web Platform (a Web platform that is providing Web
        capabilities to RDA's businesses worldwide), and contributing to the
        company's e-commerce strategy.

    --  Rob Hilliard, Vice President, Digital Operations, assumes expanded
        responsibilities as Vice President, Global Data Sciences and Solutions,
        bringing together U.S. and International database activities.

"Global Marketing is dedicated to achieving growth through marketing leadership and innovation," Radin said. "We are committed to supporting the company's goals to grow business through all channels, especially accelerating our transformation from a direct mail-driven business to a multi-channel direct marketing-driven business. We will measure progress against our ability to establish, retain and build deep, profitable and enduring relationships with our customers worldwide. We will continue to align with the strategies and goals of each of the businesses, and will emphasize developing opportunities for the talent within our organization."

RDA is a global multi-brand media and marketing company that educates, entertains and connects audiences around the world. The company builds multi-platform communities based on branded content. With offices in 44 countries, it markets books, magazines, and music, video and educational products reaching a customer base of 130 million in 78 countries. It publishes 94 magazines, including 50 editions of Reader's Digest, the world's largest-circulation magazine, operates 65 branded websites generating 22 million unique visitors per month, and sells approximately 40 million books, music and video products across the world each year. Global headquarters are in Pleasantville, New York.

SOURCE The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.