North Coast Media, LLC

North Coast Media Team Have Fun Learning at Content Meeting

CLEVELAND, Ohio – August 16, 2022 – North Coast Media’s (NCM) annual Content Meeting was back in action last month after a break due to the pandemic. The yearly meeting allows NCM’s editorial, design, digital, and marketing team members to gather for a two-day meeting full of learning and team-building activities. This year the meeting was held at The Foundry, a local non-profit rowing and sailing organization located in Cleveland’s historic flats. The funds NCM paid for renting the space will allow one area student free access to The Foundry for the upcoming season.

NCM’s annual content meeting provides NCM employees a chance to collaborate and share tips and tricks, success stories, and new skills and practices related to creating content. Presenters included numerous NCM staff members and two outside experts. In addition to education, the event also highlights team-building with various fun networking activities.

Day one started with two guest presenters. First, Michelle Park Lazette, Project Manager of Marketing Strategy at Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, began with a focus on finding and creating captivating original stories. Then, Joan Inderhees, PhD., Professor at Kent State University in the School of Visual Communication Design, focused on visual storytelling through images and type.

Staff presentations followed and covered topics including homerun art packages, news value and writing 101, and top performing content marketing projects.

Between sessions, staff members played trivia with a chance to win prizes, with the day at the Foundry ending with a learn-to-row activity.

Following the indoor rowing activity, staff members headed to Great Lakes Brewery for a brewery tour and ended the day with pizza and games at Ohio City’s Pins Mechanical Co.

Finally, day two included several presentations where each NCM brand shared some top content examples and, ultimately, a look at the strategy and best practices behind maximizing content across platforms. Attendees ended the event by gathering at Cleveland’s BrewDog for lunch.

Students Value North Coast Media’s Internship Program

CLEVELAND, Ohio – June, 13, 2022 – North Coast Media welcomed two university students into their internship program this year. Jessica Khalil, editorial/digital intern and Allison McCann, content marketing intern, participated in the program, and learned how to work within their respective teams while writing articles and editorials, conducting interviews, editing, creating social media posts, ad copy and a variety of other work.

“What I really love about working at North Coast Media is that no two days are ever the same,” McCann says. “I’m always taking on a variety of tasks and learning each one as I come to them. I wish I had found this opportunity sooner.”

Debbie Pipik, Director of Human Resources at North Coast Media, describes the internship program as beneficial for both the interns and the company.

“We have the opportunity to get new perspectives on various processes, procedures and programs from interns,” Pipik says. She adds that the program gives interns the opportunity to learn about their fields of study and make sure it is what they want out of a career.

Khalil validated Pipik’s point: “I feel confident that I chose the right major and am going down the right career path,” Khalil says. “It gave me the chance to grow and have a real world experience that I would not have gotten elsewhere.”

Both students express that the internship program was an affirming experience and that the real-world application is invaluable.

North Coast Media has had an intern program since it’s beginning in 2012. The program provides students pursuing a career in B2B media the opportunity to gain work experience in a professional setting.

Are you interested in an internship with North Coast Media? Complete our form today.

My 2022 Student Internship Experience

Written by: Allison McCann, Content Marketing Intern

In the summer of 2022, I found it difficult to believe in the possibility of having an on-site internship before my senior year at Cleveland State University; as I scrolled through my LinkedIn recommendations nearly every listing was out of state and listed as “remote.” That was until Dr. Thomas, my communications capstone professor and Public Relations Student club supervisor sent me a referral for the Content Marketing internship position at North Coast Media.

The future was beginning to look more promising because of this opportunity. I eagerly applied for the position and started to do research on the company on my own. Soon after applying, Debbie Pipik, Director of Human Resources called me to set up an interview. Following a series of inconclusive remote interviews, it was my first in-person interview, and having a proper interview experience was so refreshing I found myself actively enjoying it. In previous interviews, I had never felt so eager to talk to potential coworkers both in the interview and in the office.

Upon being hired, I was not entirely sure what to expect from a first day but I was delightfully surprised, to say the least. After meeting with Mackenzie Shoemaker, Content Marketing Project Manager, and being introduced to the entirety of the office, the team treated me to lunch at Pho Thang, a small Asian restaurant near the office. I quickly came to realize how welcoming and approachable my coworkers were and I mentally sighed with relief.

When the “real work” began, I was more prepared than I had previously thought. Regardless, Mackenzie and Aurora always provided help and guidance on every first-time task. This training helped me into a routine which allowed me to learn quickly and I realized the piling list of tasks I had learned to do easily in the span of just the first week. Even in their absences, Aurora and Mackenzie kept me busy and hungry to learn. I forced myself to break my worst habit: my refusal to ask for help. After all, everyone around me made it incredibly easy.

Once I was regularly invited to meetings and participating in more advanced tasks, I subconsciously made a long list of “favorite things” from my experience in the internship:

I had a positive interactive dynamic with my coworkers
I received plenty of encouragement from my coworkers
My opinions and suggestions were heard
Inclusion in meetings for all of North Coast Media’s brands
No two days were ever the same
Variation of tasks
Genuine contributions

Through creating a specification sheet for digital media assets, editing articles, transcribing interviews, drafting social media posts, creating a social media analysis and live tweeting a webinar, I was directly contributing to the company’s success. Everything I was doing truly mattered.

The feedback I received on my work was motivating and encouraging, regardless whether it was positive feedback or constructive criticism. While the importance of some of my tasks carried more pressure, that pressure filled me with a sense of accomplishment. I had reached a point where I was trusted to do impactful tasks and was confident I could deliver what was requested. The experience and encouragement I received was empowering.

The variety of the work I was completing kept me on my toes and and I was always excited when my family would ask “what did you do today?”

Prior to this experience, my understanding of internships was distorted by stereotypical concepts of an urban office setting and I will admit I was intimidated to take the next step. However, if I was given an infinite number of chances to re-do my first internship, I would choose North Coast Media every time.

NCM Brands Receive National & Regional ASBPE Awards

Cleveland, OH — May 30, 2022 — North Coast Media (NCM) is excited to announce that Golfdom, Landscape Management, LP Gas and Pest Management Professional were recent winners of the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ (ASBPE) Azbee awards, winning 2 national and 9 regional awards.

The Azbee Awards recognize the best in business-to-business media, paying tribute to the outstanding work by B2B, trade, association and professional publications. The awards highlight editorial and design excellence of magazines, newsletters, digital and social media and is one of the most competitive award programs in the trade media market. This year more than 830 entries were submitted in 65 categories.

NCM’s Azbee award winners include:

Golfdom

Regional Bronze — All Content – Editor’s Letter: “Keeping up with Jones,” August 2021 — Editor-in-Chief, Associate Publisher Seth Jones
Regional Gold — Design – Front Cover-Photo: “Behind the Beauty,” October 2021 — VP of Graphic Design and Production Pete Seltzer

Landscape Management

Regional Bronze — Print – Feature Article: “Women in Landscaping,” April 2021 — Managing Editor Sarah Webb

LP Gas

Regional Silver — Design – Front Cover Illustration: , “In the Game,” July 2021 — Art Director Kim Traum

Pest Management Professional

National Silver and Regional Gold — Design, Front Cover Illustration: “Bed Bug Horror Stories,”August 2021 — Publisher Marty Whitford, VP of Graphic Design and Production Pete Seltzer, Art Director Tracie Martinez and Illustrator Mike Right.
National Gold and Regional Gold — Design, Front Cover, Special Issue or Supplement: “2022 State of the Industry Report,”November 2021 — Marty Whitford, Pete Seltzer, Tracie Martinez and Mike Right.
Regional Silver — Print, Feature Article, 12 or More Issues Per Year: “Dog Fight,”April 2021 — Editor-in-Chief Heather Gooch, Senior Editor Diane Sofranec, Tracie Martinez.
Regional Bronze — Print, Special Supplement: “Intel in Invasives,”October 2021 — Diane Sofranec, Tracie Martinez, Graphic Designer Courtney Townsend.
Regional Bronze — Print, Single Top Coverage by a Team: “2021 Game Planning,”January 2021 — Heather Gooch, Diane Sofranec, Tracie Martinez.

ASBPE was launched in 1964 as the American Society of Business Press Editors. Members of this professional association include full-time and freelance editors, writers, art directors and designers who work for business, trade and specialty publications.

NCM Brands, Golfdom And Landscape Management Win 23 Industry Awards

CLEVELAND, Ohio — May 16, 2022 — North Coast Media (NCM) is proud to announce that Landscape Management (LM) and Golfdom took home 23 awards as part of the 2022 TOCA Communications Awards Contest, a long-standing event of the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA). TOCA annually recognizes members for outstanding writing, design, photography, videography and interactive efforts in the green industry.

“The Golfdom and LM teams have gone above and beyond and we are incredibly proud of what’s been accomplished,” said CEO Kevin Stoltman. “These awards honor our team’s talent, hard work and dedication.”

Golfdom won 13 awards at this year’s event, including a Gardner (Best-In-Show) for Best Single Photo. LM earned 10 awards including a Gardner (Best-In-Show) award for a Business Management Article. Both brands led all publishing companies that competed for TOCA awards in the golf and landscape markets.

“Taking home two best-in-show awards is truly a testament to the exemplary work done by the LM and Golfdom teams,” said Editor-in-Chief, Seth Jones. “Our publications are products of great people, dedicated to their craft, always striving to meet the needs of our readers and advertisers.”

NCM staff recognized for their work include Pete Seltzer, VP of Graphic Design & Production; Seth Jones, Editor-in-Chief; Craig MacGregor, Publisher; Christina Herrick, Editor; Joey Ciccolini, Digital Media Content Producer; Tracie Martinez, Art Director; and many contributors.

The complete list of winnings for the publications include:

Golfdom Gardner (Best-in-Show) Award

Best single photo – 21 at last, Pete Seltzer

Golfdom First Place

Best print magazine cover – 21 at last, Pete Seltzer

Best single photo – 21 at last, Pete Seltzer

Portrait/personality photo – Minny Makeover, Jamey Guy, Pete Seltzer

Turf feature article – Grass is Greener, Christina Herrick

Product information article – Viva Las Vegas, Seth Jones, Christina Herrick, Abby Hart

Special projects – Superintendent Bingo, Seth Jones, Pete Seltzer, Craig MacGregor

Golfdom Merit

Best print magazine cover – Behind the beauty, October 2021, Pete Seltzer

Two-plus page design – How quickly things can change, Pete Seltzer

General feature article – Hooked, Matt Neff

Series of columns by regular columnist – Keeping up with the Jones, Seth Jones

Best instructional video – USGA’s Brian Whitlark on the growth of soil moisture meters in golf, Seth Jones, Joey Ciccolini

Best long video – Learn how Field of Dreams team prepared the turf for MLB debut, Seth Jones, Joey Ciccolini

LM Gardner (Best-in-Show) Award

Business management article – Twice the work, half the workers, Christina Herrick

LM First Place

Series of columns by regular columnist – Grow with Grunder, Marty Grunder

Column writing – Graduation day, Seth Jones

Writing for special projects – 2021 LM150 Special Report, Seth Jones, Christina Herrick, Sarah Webb

Business management article – Twice the work, half the workers, Christina Herrick

Best instructional video – New model from John Deere celebrates 25 years of ZTrak mowers, Seth Jones, Joey Ciccolini

LM Merit

Best print magazine cover – Get connected, May 2021, Tracie Martinez

Series, two or more articles as a series – Women in Landscaping, Christina Herrick, Sarah Webb

Headline writing – A brew-tiful place, Christina Herrick

Best short video – 4 keys to grow your business in 2022, Marty Grunder, Joey Ciccolini

About North Coast Media

North Coast Media, LLC (NCM) is a progressive B2B media company headquartered in Cleveland. NCM’s flagship brands include Golfdom, Landscape Management (LM), Pest Management Professional (PMP), GPS World, LP Gas, Pit & Quarry, and Portable Plants. Each NCM brand consists of multiple experiences that make powerful connections between the buyers and sellers in each marketplace served, including print and digital media, content marketing and exclusive networking events.

Hillary Blaser

Hillary Blaser
Audience Marketing Manager

Hillary Blaser received a Bachelor of Science degree from Aquinas College where she dual majored in Business Administration and Communication. As Audience Marketing Manager, she will continue to grow her expertise in audience development within the world of B2B media. She has experience with audience engagement, database/list management, acquisition and retention marketing, controlled circulation audits and more. Prior to joining the NCM team, she worked as Senior Audience Development Analyst at BNP Media headquartered in Troy, MI.