Sweet Smell of Success

THE JANUARY 2005 ISSUE of San Diego Magazine you hold is palpable confirmation of a publishing success story. You can feel it. A decade ago, our January issue stood at an underwhelming 114 pages. This January, we bring you a 284-page book that’s chock full of new and vastly expanded editorial coverage of the San Diego region. There are scores of dedicated people responsible for our success. This month, we celebrate two: Jim Fitzpatrick, who purchased San Diego Magazine 10 years ago to become its second publisher in half a century, and Kevin Leap, who signed on as associate publisher and advertising director a little more than two years ago.

In 10 years, Jim has taken a publication many perceived as being near death and breathed new life into it. In the process, he’s crunched more numbers than anyone should have to crunch in a lifetime and collected vastly more gray hairs than any man should accumulate in just a decade. Much of the success of the new San Diego Magazine can be credited to his hard work. And much is owed to his smart choices.

Which brings us to Kevin. When he joined us in August 2002, the magazine was on a steady upward course. Kevin propelled us to warp speed. His considerable smarts, unbounded energy and unfailing good humor have translated to a healthy bottom line that supports a greatly improved and enlarged editorial product. For their good works, Jim and Kevin are rewarded with new titles this month. With this issue, Jim becomes president and CEO of the San Diego Magazine Publishing Company. Kevin flies up to publisher. All of us salute them.

Now, what do you get out of all this hard work? Lots more to read. As usual, January is the month in which we celebrate the 50 San Diegans we expect to leave their marks—for better or worse—on our region in the new year. In a 12-page spread, we bring you everything from TV anchors to athletes, politicians to power brokers. Keep an eye on ’em.

Also in this issue: business editor Larry Edwards’ surprising look into the soaring success story that is Southeastern San Diego; an-in-depth dialogue with almost-mayor Donna Frye; Thomas K. Arnold’s feature on the happy survivors of San Diego’s family- owned businesses; a guide to the best of the local arts scene in San Diego Art & Sol; and design editor Tom Shess’ fifth installment of our magazine-within-the-magazine, Home Design Quarterly.

Oh, and our new president and CEO, Jim Fitzpatrick, flexes his mental muscles in an open letter to our newly reelected mayor, Dick Murphy. Happy new year. And happy reading.

TOM BLAIR
Editor-in-Chief

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