Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Names Janet Balis EVP of Sales & Marketing
Highly Accomplished Media Sales Executive Who Has Held Leadership Roles at AOL and Time Inc. to Head Company's Sales & Marketing Teams
NEW YORK, July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) today named Janet Balis as EVP of Media Sales and Marketing. In this position, she will oversee Publishing, Broadcast and Digital Advertising Sales and Marketing. She will report to MSLO Executive Chairman Charles Koppelman.
In announcing the appointment, Mr. Koppelman stated, "Janet is a talented sales professional with a strategic mindset. Her experience developing multimedia sales programs for marketers makes her a natural fit at MSLO, a creative leader in cross-platform initiatives. We are delighted to have her lead our team, as we continue to maximize revenue opportunities and growth for MSLO's media properties."
MSLO Founder Martha Stewart said, "I'm pleased to welcome Janet to MSLO. Her intelligence and sales experience along with her rich understanding of the changing media landscape, and all that it encompasses will be wonderful assets to our company."
An accomplished sales and marketing executive, Ms. Balis brings significant experience in cross-platform sales and solutions, an area in which MSLO has demonstrated considerable strength. She joins MSLO from Digital Media Strategies, a company she founded in January 2008, which has worked closely with premier entertainment and media companies. Prior to founding Digital Media Strategies, Ms. Balis spent eight years at Time Warner, serving most recently as the Senior Vice President of Sales Development for AOL Media Networks. Before joining AOL, she spent five years at Time Inc. where she was responsible for Sales and Marketing across the division's 20 websites, including People, TIME, Fortune and InStyle.
"MSLO is an exciting company with powerful and differentiated brands in the advertising marketplace. I admire Martha Stewart's ability to connect with her consumers across a variety of platforms. This is not simply about audiences that are engaged by the content - these consumers are inspired to take action. I'm looking forward to working with MSLO management and the talented sales and marketing team to develop innovative solutions for marketers that take full advantage of the company's unique consumer insights, ability to integrate cross-platform ideas, and unbridled creativity," said Ms. Balis.
Ms. Balis holds a B.A. from Columbia College and a MBA from Harvard Business School. Crain's New York Business named her one its "Top 40 Under 40" in 2006.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Publishing segment encompasses four magazines, including the company's flagship publication, Martha Stewart Living, periodic special issues and books. The marthastewart.com website provides consumers with instant access to MSLO's multimedia library, search and find capabilities, recipes, online workshops, community and personalization, as well as wedding-planning tools powered by WeddingWire. The Broadcasting segment produces such programming as the Emmy-winning daily, nationally syndicated television series, "The Martha Stewart Show," and Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS channel 112 and XM Radio 157. In addition to its media properties, MSLO offers high-quality Martha Stewart products through licensing agreements with carefully selected companies, including the Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy's, Martha Stewart Everyday at Kmart, Martha Stewart Crafts with EK Success at Wal-Mart, Michaels and independent retailers, Martha Stewart for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and a co-branded food line with Costco. In 2008, Emeril Lagasse joined the Martha Stewart family of brands; MSLO acquired the assets related to Lagasse's media and merchandising business, including television programming, cookbooks, and emerils.com website and his licensed kitchen and food products. For additional information about MSLO, visit www.marthastewart.com.
