Did you hear?… Doug McClellan announces plans to leave OR and Bicycle Retailer

Doug McClellan, the editorial director of Outdoor Retailer Magazine and Bicycle Retailer magazine, announced Tuesday that he will be leaving the magazines on June 15. Marc Sani, publisher for both magazines, told SNEWS® that while the news was not entirely unexpected and he was saddened by McClellan’s decision to depart, he understands completely. “It’s been a difficult transition for Doug with the uncertainties of the market and, more importantly, the amount of time he’s had to spend away from his family,” said Sani. SNEWS® View: Since joining the OR team in Laguna Beach, Calif., in August of last year, McClellan has been commuting home to his wife and two sons in Santa Fe, N.M., as many weekends as possible. That has to wear on anyone’s soul. McClellan has also been at the helm of a ship that can’t seem to keep a crew on board and that had to be frustrating too. Since August, OR has said goodbye to Andrea Gabbard, Sharon Leicham, Michael McGovern, Kristin Carpenter and Marcus Woolf. While the OR magazine story on McClellan’s departure intimated the staff was laid off, in reality all but McGovern quit. So, who’s left to man the sails of OR’s storm-tossed ship? Wendy Geister remains as the lone veteran and certainly has the talent to assume the helm, but whether she wants the job or not is the big question. Erlina Tulabut, a skilled reporter who joined the team last year, is quickly becoming the magazine’s lead news hound. New hire Karen Zekan, a former news reporter with little outdoor experience, only works part time. So, as OR heads into its most important issue of the year — the August show issue — the magazine will have to rely on two full-time staffers and one part-timer to do the job that typically requires at least 5 full-time editors. And let’s not even mention the load of the Daily Exposure paper at the summer show. OUCH!