North Coast Media, LLC

Staff Movie Review: Everest

Everest Will Give You the Chills

By Allison Barwacz | Digital Media Content Producer

I had a vague idea of what Everest was about when I walked into the theater: People climb the mountain, a storm comes and people live… or die.

I was right. However, the film exceeded my expectations.

Everest takes you on an 8-9-week journey of two groups of people preparing to climb 29,000 ft. up Mount Everest. The journey required a tremendous deal of training and preparation, with the climbers stopping at four rest camps. The stunning cinematography, coupled with the anguish portrayed by the actors as they climbed, was enough to give even the greatest thrill seeker chills.

The film illustrated the hardships experienced by the climbers, from crossing a ladder from one peak to another to side walking on a narrow ridge. One character in particular, Doug Hansen, a postal worker, wanted to prove that even for an ordinary man, anything was possible. This was his second journey climbing Everest, after failing to reach the top on his first attempt.

I won’t reveal the ending of the film, but I will say, it was difficult to watch. Not because of poor acting or cinematography, but because of the heart-wrenching journey I had to watch. Like the characters in the film, I found myself struggling for warmth throughout the climb.

Overall, walking into the movie with no previous knowledge of the journey—also known as the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster—proved rather dispiriting. The view was phenomenal, but after watching this movie, I wouldn’t climb Everest. Ever.

Staff App Review: NPMA Events App

By Heather Gooch | Pest Management Professional, Managing Editor

Calling all PMPs! Have you downloaded the NPMA events app yet? If you’re attending PestWorld 2015, or any other NPMA event, it’s extremely helpful for keeping track of exhibitor booths, classes, speakers, and more! It even has a directory of local restaurants so you can enjoy Nashville’s best cuisine!

For Windows and Blackberry users, visit: crowd.cc/pestworld15.

Find the app here for iPhone users.

Download here for Android users.

LP Gas launches lpgashalloffame.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — October 20, 2015 — LP Gas magazine launched lpgashalloffame.com as an online representation of its annual Hall of Fame dinner and recognition ceremony.

“We’ve seen the LP Gas Hall of Fame grow in immense popularity since it launched four years ago,” says Brian Richesson, LP Gas editor-in-chief. “A website dedicated to the LP Gas Hall of Fame and our annual induction event gives readers one known location where they can learn about the legends, icons and leaders who have shaped our industry into what it is today.”

The website’s content ranges from archived information about past Hall of Fame inductees to a nomination form where website visitors can submit nominees to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Check out the new website, or the LP Gas website, for more information.

Pest Management Professional adds Ryan Gerard as account manager

CLEVELAND, Ohio — October 14, 2015 — North Coast Media is pleased to announce the hiring of Ryan Gerard as an account manager for Pest Management Professional magazine.

“We’re all very excited to have Ryan aboard our PMP team,” said PMP‘s Senior Account Manager, Mike Joyce.

PMP publisher and Editorial Director Marty Whitford agreed. “Ryan is a great fit for our team,” he said. “We think his background in public relations is going to be a huge plus going forward.”

Gerard, a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Communication. He can be contacted at rgerard@northcoastmedia.net.

PMP, a North Coast Media brand, has been the industry’s leading editorial authority since 1933.

Scary movies for the Halloween season

By Will Nepper | PMP magazine, Senior Editor

I always try to cram as many horror movies in during the month of October as possible, so I’m here to help you do the same by providing you with reviews of some of the best I’ve recently seen.

Goodnight, Mommy [R] (in limited theatrical release) – Part horror, part Hitchcockian thriller, all chills. Nine-year-old twin boys are unsettled when their mother returns home from reconstructive surgery wrapped in face-obscuring bandages. She doesn’t seem herself and she stops acknowledging one of her sons. What’s going on? What happened to Mom? Is she even Mom at all?! Don’t expect me to tell you. There are lots of unexpected twists to this tense Austrian slow-burner. Those who can’t deal with subtitles, however, need not bother go.

Late Phases [R] (available on VOD and Netflix) – When was the last time you saw a good werewolf movie? It’s probably been awhile. In that way, ‘Late Phases’ saves the day. The premise is simple: a blind ‘Nam vet suspects that the animal attacks in the retirement community he’s just moved to are more than they seem. Give it up for any movie whose hero is a blind vet. Cool movie, great effects, solid performances and a satisfying ending.

It Follows [R] (available on DVD, BluRay & VOD) – Maybe you’ve heard the well-deserved buzz about this one. In it, a teen girl is pursued by a relentless entity that’s always moving slowly toward her with malicious intent — and ‘it’ can take on the appearance of anyone. The less you know about it going in, the more you’ll enjoy it. For my money, ‘It Follows’ was the best American horror movie of 2014.

Pest Management Professional promotes two editors, hires digital content producer

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Oct. 13, 2015 — North Coast Media is pleased to announce two promotions and a new addition to the staff of Pest Management Professional (PMP).

Diane Sofranec has been named managing editor of PMP. She succeeds Heather Gooch, who has been promoted to editor of the magazine.

“Heather joined the magazine shortly after college in 1995 as an assistant editor, and stayed with us as managing editor until 2005,” recalls Marty Whitford, PMP’s publisher and editorial director. “She left to spend more time with her husband and two daughters, but still did a lot of behind-the-scenes editing and other freelance work for us. When she returned to the managing editor spot last January, we were thrilled to have Heather back on board full time. We look forward to her continued leadership in her new role as editor.”

Gooch, a Kent State University graduate, has won numerous awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and The Press Club of Cleveland. She can be contacted at 330-321-9754, or hgooch@northcoastmedia.net.

“Diane has been a wonderful addition to our staff as digital editor, and she really was the ideal choice to slip into Heather’s managing editor role,” Whitford says of Sofranec. “She, Heather, Will [Nepper] and I agree that this is a four-star, ‘A-Team’ lineup in that there are more than 100 years of combined editorial experience in our team. It’s one of the most talented groups I’ve ever worked with.”

Sofranec, a graduate of Youngstown State University, has more than 20 years of experience in the B2B publishing industry. She joined North Coast Media in 2013 as a digital content producer, and during her time with the company, has had a hand in Landscape Management, Golfdom, LP Gas, Pit & Quarry, Portable Plants and Equipment, and PMP. Sofranec’s previous position in the digital media department has been filled by new hire Kelly Limpert. Sofranec can be contacted at 216-706-3793, or dsofranec@northcoastmedia.net.

Limpert joined North Coast Media’s digital team this summer. Limpert, a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, will be creating digital content for PMP. She can be reached at 216-363-7933, or klimpert@northcoastmedia.net.

PMP, a North Coast Media brand, has been the editorial authority for the pest management industry since 1933.