New York, NY (November 14, 2018) – MPA – The Association of Magazine Media today announced that Marvin R. Shanken, Founder and Chairman, M. Shanken Communications, is the recipient of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring individuals who have made longstanding contributions to the magazine media industry and society. Shanken will be honored at the American Magazine Media Conference on February 5, 2019 in downtown New York City. Jonathan Newhouse, Chairman, Condé Nast International, will present the award.
“For over forty years, Marvin Shanken has been a trailblazer in both the magazine media industry and the wine and spirits world,” said Linda Thomas Brooks, President and Chief Executive Officer, MPA – The Association of Magazine Media. “Marvin’s passion for luxury lifestyle combined with his innovative instincts and unrivaled work ethic have allowed him to create a suite of the most iconic enthusiast magazine brands while simultaneously helping the community around him.”
Added Steve Lacy, Meredith Corporation Executive Chairman and MPA Chairman, “I have known Marvin for many years and have had the honor of working alongside him on industry initiatives. He is the embodiment of the old adage, ‘Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ His story is unique, his success is remarkable, and his contributions to the magazine media world deserve our highest honor.”
“To be able to devote your life to subjects you are passionate about makes me lucky indeed,” said Shanken. “Being able to give back to worthwhile charities is a rich reward. It is an honor and a privilege to receive this recognition from my peers.”
Fueled by his fascination for wine, Shanken began his career in publishing in 1972 when he bought Impact, a little-known wine and spirits industry newsletter. Today, Shanken’s Impact Newsletter is read in more than 200 countries.
In 1979, Shanken purchased Wine Spectator. He grew the publication from a small free newspaper to the world’s leading authority on wine, delivering expert reviews of 16,000 wines annually and reaching more than 3 million readers worldwide. The brand hosts the web’s most comprehensive wine site and a series of high-profile signature events, including the prestigious New York Wine Experience, which is run as a charitable event that has given out over 800 scholarships to students pursuing careers in wine and hospitality, and has raised over $25 million.
In 1992, Shanken launched Cigar Aficionado as the definitive lifestyle magazine for men. Dubbed “The Good Life Magazine for Men,” the print publication and its accompanying website focus on luxury lifestyle topics such as golf, travel, alcohol and accessories, reaching more than 1.6 million readers. The brand spearheaded an annual fundraiser event in New York called a Night to Remember, raising over $20 million for prostate cancer. Among other philanthropic events is the Els for Autism Pro-Am co-hosted by Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado. Now in its eleventh year, this has raised more than $10 million, used to build a school for 260 autistic children in Jupiter, Florida with golf legend Ernie Els.
Shanken also owns Whisky Advocate, the leading whiskey magazine in the U.S., and hosts multi-city WhiskyFest™ events, which are the longest-running and best-attended whisky festivals in the country. Celebrating over two decades, this signature event series features the finest whiskies from all around the world, poured by the people who make them.
Shanken Communications is a family-owned business which takes great pride in the many charitable endeavors it supports, raising over $50 million over the last 40 years. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in Napa Valley, M. Shanken Communications also publishes Wine Spectator Insider, Cigar Insider, Cigar Watch, Market Watch and Shanken News Daily.
For more information on the Lifetime Achievement Award and to attend the awards ceremony, visit www.magazine.org/AMMC19.
About MPA
MPA – The Association of Magazine Media is the primary advocate and voice for the magazine media industry, driving thought leadership and game-changing strategies to promote the industry’s vitality and increase its revenues and market share. Established in 1919, MPA represents more than 150 domestic, associate and international members. MPA is headquartered in New York City, with a government affairs office in Washington, D.C.
