Peter Vandevanter

12805 Lindrick Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277

704.814.4582 (H) 704.358.5909 (O) 704.619.5345 (C)

pvandev@charlotteobserver.com

Summary

A profit-oriented executive with a 20-year track record of success leading editorial, sales and marketing organizations, especially targeted publications. Proven leadership skills, with the versatility to work across disciplines to accomplish complex projects and strategic initiatives. Adept at launching multi-media products that include bundled rates for the advertiser and multi-platform utility for the user. Recognized as a strong developer of people and teams and products.

Experience

The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC 1999-Present

Vice President, New Ventures

Helped direct the $180 million operation of The Charlotte Observer, with special focus on new products. New Ventures division grew at a 30 percent revenue clip with targeted magazine and online products. Nominated for a Knight Ridder Excellence Award for Innovation in 2002.

• Launched more than a dozen niche magazines, growing revenue from $2 million to $7 million a year in categories such as luxury living, interior design, edge city, auto, newcomer, recruitment and real estate
• Created MortgageTrak, a national mortgage rate newspaper feature service, that was installed at 22 newspapers nationwide and generates more than $6 million revenue a year
• Developed and launched the Charlotte Magazine Network, enabling advertisers city-wide to buy demographic as well as geographic distribution across free publications
• Helped develop the Observer's strategy of convergence: bundling online, magazine and newspapers for the benefit of advertisers as well as readers
• Installed a Customer Relationship Management program, using Relationals software, for the 28 salespeople in the New Ventures division
• Helped restructure the automotive category with the launch of Cars.com The Magazine, bundled with online and the newspaper, growing more than $1 million a year
• Helped restructure the real estate category with the launch of ObserverHomes, which bundled online, a magazine and newspaper, growing over $500,000 a year
• Proposed and acquired two key magazines: First Impressions, for newcomers; and Carolina Bride, for couples planning weddings
• Created NewsArtStore.com that sold online posters created by newsroom designers
• Beta tested MyDailyOnline.com, a website that paginates RSS feeds into an online newspaper-looking page, the so-called "personal newspaper" in development

Community Newspaper Company, Needham, MA 1996–1999

Vice President of Specialty Publications

Assigned critical role on the senior management team of this group of 110 community weekly newspapers. Charged with a company turnaround, partnered with the President on marketing initiatives to maximize profitability company-wide.

• Member of senior management team that succeeded in engineering a $17M turnaround, which significantly increased the company's value and marketability.
• Launched the most successful CNC niche publication ever: Boston Homes, which currently bills a about $3 million a year.
• Acquired South Shore Parent and Baby Journal, and launched three other zones: North Shore, West and Downtown -- generating about $300,000 annually
• Launched a series of eight, zoned Newcomer Guides, generating $300,000 annually each
• Created a mortgage rate grid in all 110 newspapers that generated $2 million a year.
• Helped create Townonline.com, templated web site for all 110 newspapers

The Washington Times., Washington, D.C. 1991-1996

Editor, Specialty Publications

Recruited to launch a real estate publication for Washington, which became The Friday Home Guide, and generated nearly $775,000 the first year. The publication aimed at the new home market became The Washington Times' most successful revenue section, and currently bills $3 million a year.

• Grew incremental revenues from $0 in 1984 to $3M in 1991 from specialty publications.
• Started a real estate cable show on NewsChannel 7 and hosted the show for three years
• Co-hosted a weekly radio show "Real Estate Practically Speaking" for four years
• Created a fax-on-demand service for the Times that generated revenue through print sponsors
• Starred in TV marketing campaign that presented the real estate section as a multi-platform product: inpaper, online, fax-on-demand, on radio, on television
• Created Fashion, Cars and Recruitment special sections

The Journal Newspapers, Washington, D.C. 1984–1991

Editor, Specialty Publications

Recruited to launch a new feature section that became TEMPO. Later moved over to launch a real estate publication, that became The Friday Home Report, generating more than $500,000 its first year. The Home Report became the newspaper chain’s most successful niche product.

• Created Jobs, Travel and Fashion special sections.
• Ran a 10-person feature department responsible for food, entertainment and lilfestyle sections for three five-day daily newspapers The Montgomery Journal, The Prince George's Journal and the Fairfax Journal.

Network News, Washington, D.C. 1981-1984

Managing Editor

Recruited by Harper's Magazine to run a startup alternative news syndicate, utilizing the new technology that allowed story transmission by modem to newspaper computers. Managed 12 writers, as well as managed the weekly news report, culled form original reporting as well as the purchase of second rights to magazine articles. Clients included The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The St. Louis Globe-Dispatch, The Chicago Tribune, The Orange County Register and the San Francisco Chronicle.

States News Service, Washington, D.C. 1979-1981

Correspondent

Washington Correspondent for the Harte Hanks Newspaper chain of Texas, including College Station, Corsicana, Laredo and Huntsville. Initiated a series of stories on the drinking binges of a Texas congressman that ended with the representative resigning his post.

United Press International, Baltimore, Md. 1977-1979

Correspondent

Covered the General Assumbly, the Baltimore Colts and other world news out of Baltimore, including the conviction of former Gov. Marvin Mandel for racketeering.

Macon Telegraph, Macon, Ga. 1974-1976

Reporter

Police and courts reporter, covered the drug trials of the Allman Brothers. Also reported that the local sheriff had been indicted on bribery charges, leading to his resignation and plea bargain the next day.

Manassas Journal Messenger, Manassas, Va. 1973-1974

Reporter

General assignment reporter, won regional award for exposing corruption at a local retirement home.

Education

Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. B.A. Art History 1973

References (telephone numbers on request)

Bill Elfers, former CEO, The Community Newspaper Co.

Mike Veich, former President, The Community Newspaper Co.

Kirk Davis, Publisher, The Community Newspaper Co.

David Thompson, Publisher, Daily Oklahoman

Pat Keil, former Executive Vice President, The Charlotte Observer

Peter Ridder, former Publisher, The Charlotte Observer

Ann Caulkins, Publisher, The Charlotte Observer