NEW YORK, May 4, 2004 -- Mark Whitaker, editor of Newsweek, has been elected president of the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). He has served on the board since 1999.
Whitaker was named editor of Newsweek in November 1998. He is responsible for all day-to-day editorial operations and works closely with Richard M. Smith, chairman and editor-in-chief, on strategic issues and long-range planning. Whitaker oversaw the magazines coverage of the September 11 attacks, which was honored with a prestigious National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2002. This was one of 14 National Magazine Award nominations that Newsweek has received under Whitakers watch, and the second win. The magazine received the National Magazine Award in the Reporting category in 1999 for its coverage of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, which Whitaker supervised after his predecessor Maynard Parker took ill in the fall of 1997. Before becoming editor, Whitaker had served as managing editor since 1996, and as assistant managing editor since 1991. During that period, in addition to overseeing Newsweeks foreign and political coverage, he wrote occasional essays on the issue of race, including one for a cover story with Ellis Cose on The Hidden Rage of Successful Blacks, which was honored with awards from the Society of Professional Journalists New York Chapter and the National Association of Black Journalists. Whitaker first came to Newsweek in 1977 as a reporting intern in the San Francisco bureau, and later reported as a stringer and intern from Boston, Washington, London and Paris. He joined the magazine full-time in 1981 in New York and worked in the International section, then as Business editor from 1987 until 1991.
Mark Whitaker is one of our industrys most highly respected, talented and award-winning editors, said Family Circle editor-in-chief Susan Ungaro, the outgoing president of ASME. I know that ASME will be in brilliant and capable hands with Mark as president.
Im honored to be able to serve as ASMEs president, said Whitaker, and to work with our exceptional board to continue the efforts weve begun under Susan Ungaro to update and rethink ASMEs role as a champion of both editorial excellence and editorial integrity in the magazine business.
Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour, has been elected vice president. Other officers include Evan Smith, editor of Texas Monthly, who has been elected secretary, and Roberta Myers, editor-in-chief of Elle, who has been elected treasurer. Each ASME officer is elected for a one-year term and can be nominated for a second one-year term.
Peter Brown, editor of Natural History, and Nancy Soriano, editor-in-chief of Country Living, have been elected to the board for two-year terms, and may be re-elected for a second two-year term.
The other members of the board who continue their terms are: Keith Bellows, editor, National Geographic Traveler; Janet Chan, editor-in-chief, Parenting; Cullen Murphy, managing editor, The Atlantic Monthly; Martha Nelson, managing editor, People Weekly; Nancy Novogrod, editor-in-chief, Travel + Leisure; and Kit Rachlis, editor-in-chief, Los Angeles Magazine. Susan Ungaro remains on the board ex-officio.
Marlene Kahan is executive director of ASME.
