Please note: Our suite number has changed! Please update your records: 1025 Greenwood Blvd., Suite 121, Lake Mary, FL 32746.

A Note from the FMA President

Dear FMA Members,

This year we received a historic number of Charlie entries—almost 600! I say this often, but it still rings true: The talent, creativity and innovation that exists in the Florida magazine industry never ceases to amaze me.

A huge thank you to all who participated in our membership survey. We heard your recommendations and suggestions and are implementing many of the topics you proposed to the conference agenda. We are also looking to bring you more webinars. If you are interested in participating as a webinar speaker or attendee, please send an email to ktower@flpress.com.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new FMA members:

• WDW Magazine
• Eastern Florida
• Akers Media Group
• True North Florida

Also, be sure to read the rest of the newsletter for more information on the Leadership Conversations + Capstone series, 2022 Charlie Award finalists, board of directors’ openings, how your magazine can be highlighted on FMA social media and more.

As we approach mid-year, a highlight for me will be reconnecting once again with many of you during the 2022 Florida Media Conference and mingling with the best in the publishing industry during the prestigious Charlie Award Gala. Be sure to register for the early-bird conference discount!

Congratulations to all the award finalists this year! We cannot wait to see what you all do this coming year.

Karla Monterrosa-Yancey
FMA President

Why did you decide to join the FMA Board? What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the Board?
With such a diverse and incredible group of professionals, joining the board of the Florida Magazine Association was an easy decision for me. In addition to being part of a well-established organization that has worked tirelessly to promote editorial excellence in the state of Florida, I wanted to be able to contribute to the profession — something I am strongly passionate about. As a board member, I hope to give back to our industry and help to inspire beginning writers and editors to make an impact as they grow their careers. And as the new chair of the Marketing & Membership Committee, my main goals are to attract new professionals and ensure our existing members continue to find their investment in FMA valuable.

FMA New Member Spotlight

• Magazine: WDW Magazine
• CEO: Steph Shuster
• Creative Director: Danny Shuster
• Operations Manager: Brydie Huffman
• Website: WDW Magazine– The Ultimate Disney Fan Magazine 

Who is WDW Magazine?
At WDW Magazine we aim to provide our customers with a moment of escape from the everyday; a little Disney fix to hold them over until their next trip "home,” and a safe space for fans to fly their Disney flags. We are committed to publishing spectacular photography, interesting insights, and accurate information about all things Disney in a positive tone to celebrate our favorite places on earth. Our female-led team is an international group of some of the biggest Disney fans out there, and we actively seek to provide opportunities to diverse, highly skilled, passionate professionals with proven track records who are ready to take the next step in their careers and create magic for their teammates and our customers.

2022 Charlie Awards Finalists Announced

The judging of this year's Charlie Awards is complete and a list of magazines that have placed in the competition is now available for review. Please note: the list is presented alphabetically by category/division and not in the order of the award received. View list here

Check the List!
Please review the list carefully. The spelling of names and magazines listed will be used for all awards. Any corrections should be sent to ktower@flpress.com

The deadline for corrections is 5:00 pm EDT on May 13, 2022

The 2022 Charlie Awards, sponsored annually by the Florida Magazine Association, will be held on the evening of August 5 during the 2022 Florida Media Conference at The Sawgrass Marriott I Ponte Vedra. For full conference details visit www.floridamediaconference.com.

Florida Media Conference Sessions Announced

Join your peers in Ponte Vedra at the Florida Media Conference to unwind, reconnect with colleagues, and hear what other publishing leaders have in store for 2022 and beyond. This year is the perfect time to focus on the business of publishing. We've built a track of sessions for our magazine members that will include panels of experts who are in the trenches just like you. They will be discussing topics important to all FMA members. You will leave this conference with not only new additions to your network, but with a playbook of practical takeaways to start implementing in your business immediately.

Conference Tracks:

• Interpreting Analytics for Audience & Revenue Growth
• Growing Social Media
• Storytelling & Design
• Best of the Best! Take Home 22 of the Best Ideas to Engage Readers
• Presentation by “Mr. Magazine” Samir Husni
• Diversity
• Recruitment & Retention

More to come

Notice of Annual Membership Meeting

You are invited to attend the annual Florida Magazine Association membership business meeting on Friday, August 5 at 7:15 pm (immediately prior to the Charlie Awards banquet), at The Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra.

The election of any incoming officers and board directors will occur at this time.
All members are encouraged to attend. While the meeting is being held during the Florida Media Conference, you do not have to register for the conference to participate. If you wish to register for the conference, additional information can be found here: FloridaMediaConference.com.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen Tower at ktower@flpress.com or 321-283-5345.

FMA Board of Directors Openings

The Florida Magazine Association has openings on its board of directors!

• 2 Magazine member seats
•  2 Associate member seats

If you or someone you know is interested in joining this dedicated, dynamic, and diverse board of directors, please visit our Nomination Form. You can nominate yourself or a colleague!

Join us every Wednesday for Leadership Conversations and Capstone (LC²)

Presented by the Florida Press Association and Barker Strategic Solutions, LLC

New member benefit! We encourage our member media leaders to invest a mere 20 minutes weekly to become more effective leaders by joining Bill Barker—a 30-year media veteran— every Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET, as he discusses important topics in leadership and answers questions on LinkedIn Live.
≫Follow FPA on LinkedIn    |    ≫View previous sessions

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 Social Media!

Submit your articles and covers for a chance to be featured on the FMA Facebook page!

FMA Article of the Day form

FMA Cover of the Day form