Scranton Gillette Communications (SGC), publishers of Roads & Bridges magazine, has partnered with MB Media to form a limited liability corporation (LLC). This new equity partnership will oversee the construction group brands that MB Media acquired from Reed Business Information (RBI) in May 2010.
The new partnership includes the following print and online properties: Building Design+Construction, Custom Builder, Construction Equipment, Housing Giants, Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler, Construction Bulletin, SpecCheck, www.BDCnetwork.com, www.LogInAndLearn.com, www.VisibleCity.com, www.ConstructionEquipment.com and www.HousingZone.com.
These properties represent more than 325,000 construction professionals, including contractors, engineers, architects, remodelers, single-family home builders and equipment managers and owners/developers working in residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, single-family and multifamily markets.
“SGC’s commitment to these markets began more than 100 years ago with my great-grandfather, Halbert Powers Gillette,” said SGC President and CEO Edward S. Gillette. “He was recently named as one of the Top 100 Private Sector Transportation Construction Professionals of the 20th Century by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association for his contributions to the industry. We are enthusiastic about this opportunity to expand our service to construction professionals.”
“SGC's long history of financial stability, the ability to build an entrepreneurial division within SGC and the robust capabilities of the company made it a natural choice for the MB Media construction group brands,” said MB Media CEO Tony Mancini. “Our readers and advertisers will see immediate enhancements to the people who contribute to the brands, the integrated products we provide to the marketplace and the performance metrics we will deliver to document the effectiveness of each.”
The construction group properties will continue to be led by Mancini and MB Media President Rick Blesi, who will each maintain equity interest in the properties. Mancini and Blesi, who were former publishers within Reed Construction Media at RBI, have more than 30 years of combined experience with these brands. Many key team members also will continue to support these titles following their re-launch in September.