A-Z Media reorganizing; Craft heads media branch
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 23, 2004
CARLSBAD, Calif. — CARLSBAD, Calif. — Advertising, marketing and licensing company A-Z Media Group has reorganized to support its growing suite of services, including the planned launch of a national home furnishings brand.
A-Z Media Group, which launched in 1999 as the ShopA-Z.com shopping portal and added advertising and marketing services for the home furnishings industry in 2001, is creating two operating units: the A-Z Media Division and the A-Z Magazines Division.
The Media Division will focus on advertising and marketing services for regional home furnishings retailers. The division includes A-Z Licensing, which plans to launch a national home furnishings brand soon, and the ShopA-Z.com shopping portal of more than 500 online selling sites.
Lester Craft Jr., formerly vice president of sales, has been named executive vice president of the Media Division. Steve Orme, formerly vice president of marketing services, has been named vice president of marketing and legal services and reports to Craft, a former editor of Furniture/Today.
"During the past year, the A-Z Media Division has been fortunate to acquire some of the nation's largest home furnishings retailers as clients for our advertising, media buying and e-mail marketing services," said Dennis Conforto, president and CEO of A-Z Media Group. "We are on track to add additional major clients in 2004. We also are tremendously excited about the upcoming launch of a major consumer brand to be licensed to home furnishings retailers and manufacturers."
The new A-Z Magazines Division focuses on online magazines in the crafts industry, but plans to expand into home furnishings in conjunction with the national brand launch. Heading the division is Mike Elder, who has been promoted from vice president of sales and marketing to executive vice president.
