Florida Magazine Association
Fall 2022 Member Newsletter
A Note from the FMA President
Dear Members,
Congratulations to all the 2022 FMA Charlie Award winners! A special congratulations to Boca magazine for winning the Magazine of the Year award. Thank you to all our entrants and especially to our student entrants who participated in the new student categories for the first time. We hope to build on the awards and conference momentum from 2022 and carry it into 2023.
I had the privilege of meeting many of you at this year’s Florida Media Conference. What a delightful experience to interact with so many members at an inspiring event. As I listened to the content delivered at the conference, three topics came to the fore from the many conversations had and the feedback received:
- Content is still king. Mr. Magazine told attendees, “Be the creative curator of your own content.”
- Recruit and maintain talent within your company. Panelists suggested investing in your talent, empowering your employees, and understanding your team’s individual goals.
- Leverage your data to make your magazine more profitable. “Knowing what your audience wants will help you make content more cohesive,” Catherine Walters, publisher of Orlando magazine, told attendees.
It is a pleasure to announce that we have two new FMA board members: Jamie Rich, from Flamingo magazine, and John Sotomayor, from Embrace magazine.
I would like to extend a hearty welcome to our new FMA members:
My Living Media
América Magazine
Gainesville City Lifestyle
Winter Garden City Lifestyle
As we approach the end of 2022, I hope we will apply the learning attained at the conference, the wisdom gained from each other, and the lessons learned to make 2022 a red-letter year.
Karla Monterrosa-Yancey
FMA President
ASSOCIATION NEWS & EVENTS
Congratulations 2022 Charlie Award Winners!
Winners of this year’s Charlie Awards contest were announced August 5 at the 2022 Florida Media Conference. Click here for complete contest winners’ information, including the final list of winners, logos, and more.
Duplicate Awards: If you or your staff would like to purchase duplicate awards please contact kyle.letchworth@awards4u.com
Recapping the 2022 Florida Media Conference
The annual event featured scores of tips to help magazines thrive in a digital world.
By Tim McCollum and Trinity Curbelo, Internal Auditor magazine
Recruiting, audience growth, and podcasts are driving success for magazines, said speakers at the 2022 Florida Media Conference. The August event at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra featured more than 20 sessions spotlighting the evolving media landscape. FMA was a co-host of the conference alongside the Florida Press Association, Florida Press Foundation, Florida Newspaper Marketing & Advertising Executives, Florida Society of News Editors, and Florida Press Educational Services.
Q&A With the 2022 Doug Damerst Scholarship Recipient, Avery Lotz
The Florida Magazine Association honors the life and career of Doug Damerst by awarding a $1,000 cash prize to an exceptional student majoring in the field of journalism/communications. During his 10 years as the editor-in-chief of Florida Realtor magazine for the Florida Association of Realtors, Damerst set an award-winning standard for the Orlando-based publication—a standard he held until his passing in 2014.
The winner of the 2022 Doug Damerst scholarship is Avery Lotz.
What inspired you to pursue journalism/communications as a career?
When 18-year-old me declared a major in journalism, I knew I wanted to write. I knew I wanted to tell stories. I knew I wanted to help people. But I didn’t know what it meant to report — how to forge the backbone of a story. In what I believe was my third article for The Independent Florida Alligator, I was tasked with investigating a homeless encampment that had been bulldozed by local law enforcement. I searched for records, I spoke with activists and I wrote what I thought at the time was an informative, complete article.
My editor quickly proved me wrong. It wasn’t law enforcement who had their only belongings crushed beneath the weight of construction equipment. It wasn’t local activists who were treated as second-class citizens. Public records couldn’t tell the whole story.
“You need a resident,” she told me. “Give the story a human face.” Now, I am the editor who sends my reporters back to find the human face, and I will forever be grateful to the face of my homeless encampment story. She made me a journalist.
Boca Magazine Named FMA 2022 “Magazine of the Year”
Editor in chief Marie Speed shares secrets of her success and what taking home the FMA’s top honor means to her.
What does winning the 2022 FMA Magazine of the Year award mean to you?
To be recognized by your industry colleagues on a statewide level when there are so many excellent publications in Florida means a great deal to us—particularly when we’ve all been through one Great Recession, challenging times with COVID, and the overall fragility of print in general. It means we are still providing relevant and vibrant editorial and design to our readers; we are still upholding our standards of providing engaging magazine journalism. We believe passionately in this genre, and we feel this award recognizes that.
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
FMA Board Member Spotlight: John Sotomayor
New FMA Board Member: John Sotomayor
Title and Company: President and CEO, Sotomayor Media Creations LLC
FMA Member Since: 2008
Magazine(s): Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Embrace Magazine, and Elevate and Elevar Magazines
Circulation: Under 20,000
Target Audience: LGBTQ+ community and allies for Embrace; faith-based community for Elevate and Elevar
Frequency: Currently three times per year (July, November, February) for Embrace
Website: https://www.embracemedia.us/
Tell us about your publishing background.
I began my career in print media in 2004 as a freelance writer covering entertainment news for ETV out of my native New York. When I moved to Florida in 2005, I continued my freelance work for print newspapers and magazines under my newly established business name, Sotomayor Media Creations LLC. My clients included Florida Trend Magazine, Florida Travel & Life Magazine, The North Central Florida Business Report, Ocala Star Banner newspaper, and Ocala Magazine, among others. In 2011, I accepted the role of associate editor from Ocala Magazine then quickly rose in the ranks from managing editor to executive editor. In 2015, I accepted a job as staff writer for Akers Media Group, writing for five publications: Lake & Sumter Style, The Villages edition, Healthy Living Magazine, Welcome to
Lake, and Lake Business Magazine. In 2017, I had the opportunity to launch my first magazine brand under my company name, Elevate. Having achieved critical success, I launched my second magazine brand, Embrace.
FMA Board Member Spotlight: Carri Oosterbaan
New FMA Board Member: Carri Oosterbaan
Title: Account Manager, Magazine Group
Company: LSC Communications
Tell us a little about your background.
I'm so happy to be part of the publishing community in Florida. Most of my career has been spent in editorial operations, quality, and production at Time Inc and Conde Nast. About four years ago, as the industry started to shift, I was hired by LSC Communications, one of the print vendors I'd used for years at Conde. LSC is one of the leading print, logistics, and marketing solutions companies in the U.S.
Spun from RRD in 2016, LSC has multiple book, magazine, and catalog plants throughout the U.S. and internationally. My position as a sales rep really uses all of the skills I've honed from the magazine side to help customers save money and get the best quality product in this changing marketplace.
FMA Board Member Spotlight: Jamie Rich
New FMA Board Member: Jamie Rich
Title and Company: Founder, Flamingo
FMA Member Since: 2016
Magazine: Flamingo
Circulation: 20K print, throughout the southeast
Target Audience: Readers who love to live in or travel to Florida
Frequency: Online every day! In print with two collector’s editions a year: Spring/Summer Icons Issue & Fall/Winter Explore Issue
Website: Flamingomag.com
Tell us about your publishing background.
Before I started Flamingo, I worked as a writer and journalist, freelancing for national and international publications and working in newsrooms from The Moscow Times to The Times of London. Before launching Flamingo in the summer of 2015, I spent a year “reporting” or researching the business of publishing and creating a business plan by interviewing and gleaning knowledge from some of the top professionals in the industry. So, I would say my publishing background consists of seven years of on-the-job training. It’s been a wild ride with lots of lessons (both good and bad) learned along the way.
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
América Magazine
Magazine: América Magazine
Editor: Felipe Robayo Chacón
Circulation: 10,000
Target Audience: Hispanic and Latin American Community within Orlando and Kissimmee and to a lesser extent Altamonte Springs and Winter Park.
Website: www.americamagazineorlando.com
Who is América Magazine?
América Magazine is a print magazine serving the Hispanic and Latin American community. We are a journalist and a writer honing our skills in digital and physical marketing and publishing. On one hand, we provide business owners accessible and incisive print advertising distributed to more than 250 local businesses. On the other hand, we’re nurturing a space to build the Hispanic and Latin American community identity month by month, a love for who and what we are, a quest to find those inspiring stories living among us, showcasing how we live and are the American dream. In this sense, it is a place to empower who we are.
Gainesville City Lifestyle
Magazine: Gainesville City Lifestyle
Editor: Elizabeth Mueller
Circulation: Monthly Readership 59,500; Distribution 9,000 copies monthly; Direct Mailed to households with housing values $425K+; Distributed to upscale high traffic businesses and at Gainesville Airport, the Chamber of Commerce, business associations, and community events
Target Audience: Affluent households, local upscale businesses
Website: citylifestyle.com/gainesvillefl
Who is Gainesville City Lifestyle?
Our publication is a community-focused magazine that aims to connect the residents and local businesses to the people, places, and things that make our city special. We are inspired by our city’s unique atmosphere, and we highlight the most positive aspects of living here. From locally owned businesses, culinary creations, arts and entertainment, to inspirational residents, these pages are Gainesville and Alachua County's guide.
FMA Can Help with Hiring!
Looking to fill a position? Your FMA member benefits include free job postings at https://floridamagazine.org/jobs/. Just send the job description to info@floridamagazine.org, and we’ll post it, absolutely free!
Tell Your Colleagues about the FMA!
FMA welcomes individuals and companies interested in the Florida magazine industry regardless of in what state they may live or work. FMA members enjoy many benefits including educational opportunities, professional development, networking events, the annual Charlie Awards, and so much more! If you have questions or want to better understand FMA’s membership benefits, please contact Karen Tower at ktower@flpress.com or 321-283-5345
Let FMA Feature Your Magazine on our Social Media pages!
Submit your articles and covers for a chance to be featured on the FMA Facebook page!
