The Next CEOs

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, May, 2001 by Cindy Gillis, Sarah Gonser

Throughout the start-up and acquisition activity, DeBarr never took his eye off the bottom line, says Krakoff. DeBarr's groups account for more than 30 percent of the company's annual revenue and earnings, according to Krakoff. That percentage has remained steady during DeBarr's oversight and has kept pace with the overall company growth.

THE CHALLENGE: While DeBarr's experience has been varied at Advanstar, he has spent most of his career at one company. That could limit his ability to serve as chief executive of another media business, according to an industry recruiter.

JEFF GREISCH

PRESIDENT, CAHNERS' MANUFACTURING AND ELECTRONICS DIVISION Jeff Greisch blends a solid sales background with financial training and a competitive and intuitive ability to grow and drive a market-focused business, say colleagues.

Greisch's sales training from his days at Fairchild Publications, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, have given him the foundation he needs to be able to pinpoint customers' needs, according to those who know his work. "He really understands the business of the business," says Steve Reiss, senior vice president of Cahners Business Information's electronics group. "He can see the big picture but focus on all the little things, as well."

That attention to detail helped Greisch, 41, take 16 disparate businesses and develop a single infrastructure, strategy and vision, says Cahners CEO Marc Teren. Research company Instat and EDN and Semiconductor International are among the united businesses. "This consolidation resulted in significantly increased revenue, profits and marketshare; new revenue streams; and the successful launch of e-inSITE, the Web portal for the electronics industry, and Comm Verge," Teren says.

Greisch, with Cahners for nearly seven years, oversees its publications and businesses in the manufacturing products and processes, electronics, design, supply chain, and printing and packaging groups.

Jeffrey Mladenik, vice president of Cahners' development, manufacturing and electronics group, says Greisch's eye toward finances and customers' needs allows him to "drive the business for growth in top line and bottom line."

THE CHALLENGE: Greisch, with solid sales and financial training, should either pursue additional operational experience or, as a CEO, hire someone with impressive operational skills to complement his own strengths, according to an investment banker.

MICHAEL KLINGENSMITH

PRESIDENT, TIME INC.'S SPORTS ILLUSTRATED In 25 years at Time Inc., Michael J. Klingensmith, 48, has filled "at least a half dozen of the major jobs available in the magazine division," including circulation director, general manager, chief financial officer and vice president on a wide variety of Time Inc. titles, says the president of one New York-based executive search firm. He is also recognized as a key figure in the launch and subsequent success of Entertainment Weekly.

As the current president of the Sports Illustrated franchise, Klingensmith has earned a reputation as a strong corporate manager and possible successor to Time Inc. CEO Don Logan. Under Klingensmith's guidance, the SI division's profitability grew nearly 50 percent, the company says. As well as overseeing the business operations of Sports Illustrated, the monthly SI For Kids, the bimonthly SI For Women, and a partnership with CNNSI.com and CNN/Sports Illustrated, Klingensmith now manages 21 consumer and trade titles under the newly acquired Times Mirror Magazines group (now Time4 Media)--a deal Logan says Klingensmith helped shepherd along.