SNEWS welcomes Megan Mulligan as new editor in chief; bids adieu to Therese Iknoian

On Jan. 2, 2012, Megan Mulligan will become editor in chief of SNEWS®. Mulligan will replace Therese Iknoian who is stepping away from SNEWS after more than a decade of editorial leadership. Iknoian’s last day at SNEWS is Dec. 31, 2011.

“Finding the ideal replacement for Therese, as well as the future leader of the SNEWS team, was a unique challenge,” said Michael Hodgson, president of SNEWS. Hodgson and Iknoian, who are married, grew the business together. “No other trade publication exhibits the kind of editorial quality that SNEWS has consistently published, and that is in large part due to the standards of excellence and news-reporting prowess that Therese has held us accountable to on a daily basis.”

Mulligan comes to SNEWS fresh off a three-month stint training journalists for the Freedom House/USAID in Tunisia (she’s fluent in French)—an interesting wrinkle in a distinguished career reporting hard news in some of the world’s most demanding markets. With strong experience leading web-based and print editorial teams, Mulligan’s professional path winds from Forbes magazine to the WashingtonPost.com to The Guardian (a respected London newspaper) and, most recently, The Daily Caller, where she was the founding executive editor responsible for both strategic decisions and day-to-day editorial operations.

In a parting note to staff when Mulligan resigned from The Daily Caller to head off to Tunisia, founder Tucker Carlson wrote, “Megan has guided The Daily Caller from our first chaotic days. Everything about our editorial product bears her imprint. She’s made our stories tighter, better written and more interesting. She’s been a counselor to just about everyone here. Day after day – in ways you’ll never know, trust me – she has kept our office calm, happy and productive.”

Though her most recent editorial jobs have been more focused on the political scene, Mulligan’s passion for the outdoors and a fit lifestyle make her a perfect match for SNEWS. A New Englander, Mulligan grew up hiking, skiing, sailing and still loves to work out regularly — in fact, her high school used to close early on Fridays so the students could hit the slopes (we’ve made her promise not to shut down the offices too early on Fridays to get the team out).

“AIM and SNEWS are strong, dynamic companies and I’m excited to be a part of their future,” said Mulligan. “It’s time for me say goodbye to the concrete jungle and hello to the mountains and streams of Colorado!”

Mulligan will be hitting the ground running as she takes over leadership of SNEWS and the Winter 2012 O.R.D., which is published by SNEWS. There will be little time to rest as she’ll also be making the rounds at January’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market to meet as many Outdoor Retailer attendees and exhibitors as possible. There is little doubt the many thousands of loyal SNEWS subscribers and O.R.D. readers will appreciate her editorial leadership and nose for great stories immediately.

“Megan has that same passion for editorial excellence as Therese does, as well as a desire to serve her audience with news that helps them make their businesses better,” Hodgson said. “Plus, she wants to ensure all who are around her go beyond the obvious stories. She pushes her reporters to dig deeper and ask the tough-yet-fair questions that have been the hallmark of SNEWS’s business reporting.”

For her part, Iknoian is thrilled with Mulligan, as it ensures SNEWS will continue to have somebody at the helm who will keep a keen eye peeled for accuracy and quality and who has a deep pride in true reporting excellence.

“I can happily hand off SNEWS to Megan, knowing that the editorial side will be in good, watchful hands and that she has the heart of a true journalist,” said Iknoian. “It doesn’t hurt that as a French speaker she may be able to take over some of the international coverage I have pioneered as a German speaker.”

Though Iknoian is saying goodbye to SNEWS, she’s not saying good-bye to either the outdoor or fitness industries. She has a growing business as a translator (German into English, for the outdoor and sports segments) and will return to her pre-SNEWS writing about products and trends for consumer readers, with books and consulting also on the horizon.

To reach Megan with a welcome note, news tip, or story idea, send an email to mmulligan@aimmedia.com. Starting Jan. 2, she will be located in the SNEWS office in Boulder, Colo., where she’ll work side-by-side with senior writer David Clucas and assistant editor Ana Trujillo, along with Backpacker and Climbing editors and other members of Active Interest Media’s Outdoor Group.

— SNEWS editors