Roanoke,
Virginia-based Leisure Publishing Company is composed of
great people with many years of experience and a multitude of
talents. Our company's greatest asset is our employees - all
have a positive "can-do" spirit, which is reflected
time-and-time-again in their work. This section introduces
you to our mission statement, our company history, and key
personnel.
Mission statement...Our mission is the conception, creation and distribution of upper-end magazine, custom-publishing and advertorial-format publications, and the accomplishment of advertising, research and marketing services ancillary to those publications. In both publications and services, the company pledges a full-service, more-than-expected relationship with its readers, its advertising clients and all other consumers of its products and services.
Company
history...For 33-plus years, Leisure Publishing has established its reputation as one of the Southeast’s outstanding publishers of city/regional magazines, regional, state and local travel guides, and quality of life publications.
Launched in 1972 by former newspaperman J. Richard Wells, Leisure’s first publication was the sports-targeted seasonal magazine, Ski South. Two years later, that periodical was followed by the award-winning Roanoker, now Virginia’s longest-running city magazine read by approximately 68,000 readers bi-monthly, and finally, 17 years ago, by Blue Ridge Country. The latter, honored by the publishing industry from its first year, serves an audience of 425,000 readers in an eight-state region and tells the story of some of America’s most fascinating people, places, cultures, cuisine and mountain wonderlands. And our newest addition; Mountain Homes, which focuses on living in the mountains of the South.
A Great Place to WorkGraphic Artist and WebMaster positions open now! Great jobs, great people, great benefits in a high-tech environment.
We've got excellent career opportunities, and a great environment for personal and professional growth in a beautiful setting. Tour our site and see for yourself!
Key personnel...
Richard
Wells, Owner/PublisherFounded Leisure Publishing in 1972. A former newspaper editor, Wells has overseen Leisure Publishing growth from one-man operation to staff of more than 35 writers, editors, circulation, marketing, sales and support staff with two subscriber-based magazines and was recently selected as the Roanoke Valley Small Business Person of the Year 1999. Acquired contract to publish Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Outdoors Guide in 1996 and Travel Guide, Group Tour & Meeting Planners Directory and Newspaper Insert Program contracts in 1998. Oversees all custom-projects. The Roanoker, the city magazine of the Roanoke Valley, has been in continuous publication since 1974, and Blue Ridge Country, regional magazine of the Southern Appalachians, began publication in 1988 and today has more than 425,000 readers. Since 1998, Leisure has been the commonwealth of Virginia’s publisher, producing its Travel Guide, Group Tour & Meeting Planners Directory and newspaper insert programs. The company also produces another half dozen annual guides for travel organizations and associations, as well as a semiannual newspaper insert each year. Served as president of the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and was winner of the Roanoke Golden Star Award as the Roanoke Valley’s Number-One Tourism Advocate. Also serves as president of Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national advocacy group dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor.
Kurt Rheinheimer, Editor
Has edited all of Leisure’s publications since 1984. Serves as project manager and primary liaison with all custom-publishing contracts. Magazines and custom publications under his editorship have won regional, national and international editorial awards from associations including the International Regional Magazine Association, Small Magazine Publishers Group and others. Award-winning fiction has been anthologized in books including four volumes of “New Stories From The South: The Year’s Best.”
Denise Koff, Marketing Director
Graduated with a B.S. in Marketing Management and has more than 20 years of marketing/advertising experience both in the non-profit and publishing markets. Responsible for postal, circulation and distribution areas for all custom-publishing contracts. Specific expertise in project management, strategic marketing planning, database development, response analysis, media buying, direct mail and web site development. Created mailings which generated more than 35 percent growth in circulation of Blue Ridge Country in the past two years.
Patty Jackson, Production Director
A 15-year veteran of newspaper, printing, and magazine production and graphic design. Responsible for bidding, print contracts, press checks, quality control on all custom-publishing contracts. Has managed bidding, quality standards and distribution of all Leisure publications since 1995, including Virginia Is For Lovers Travel Guide, Virginia Group Tour & Meeting Planners Directory, Virginia Newspaper Insert Program products, Blue Ridge County, Alexandria Visitors Guide, The Roanoker, Virginia Outdoors Guide, Smith Mountain Lake Visitor and Newcomer Guide and Roanoke Valley Visitors Guide.
Theresa Lewis, Custom Publications Project Manager / Editor
Has 31 years experience in computer applications for publishing and managing data and copy for editorial use, including employment with Informatics, Chevron Chemicals/Ortho Book Division and both newspaper and magazine publishing houses. Serves as project manager in custom-publishing contracts. Her experience includes quality-control editing, programming, typesetting, creation of training manuals and streamlining workflow. Ms. Lewis holds a B.S. in computer science from the University of Maryland, has taken graduate courses in management at Webster College and attended seminars on quality control and management of publications.