Tribute Magazine: William F. Reilly on Retiring as CEO of PRIMEDIA
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Just found this tribute magazine that was prepared for PRIMEDIA CEO, William F. Reilly when he "retired" from the company that he helped found. The company become a major force in media with such properties as New York Magazine, Seventeen, Chicago Magazine, Soap Opera Digest, Automobile as well as trade magazines including "Hog Farmer". I thought that it made sense to publish digitally so that his grandchildren would know who he was and what life was like in the 1990's. Bill Reilly passed away in 2008. Editors from across the company contributed article and mock covers.
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Tribute Magazine: William F. Reilly on Retiring as CEO of PRIMEDIA
- 2. This page was created by the winner of a contest among students in the desktop publishing class at Cardinal Hayes High School. 2REILLY
- 3. Our..,_ lfO SIJ SS 57th Year EDITORIAL Meredith Berlin DavidAdler Editorial Dimtor Executive Editor Joanne Lasky Managing Editor Edward Egan V.LP Andrew Bornstein Art Director Andrew Frothingham Copy Director Suzanne Harbison Copy Editor Contributors Patrice Adcroft Rebecca Albrecht Dick Babcock Warren Bimblick Beverly Chell AmyChurgin Mark Colodny David E. Davis,Jr. Karen Garrison Andrea Goldschlager Barbara Greenspan Peter Gudmundsson Jill Harris Cathy Hedman JeanJennings Paul Kahn Lynn Leahey Charles McCurdy Caroline Miller Kevin Neary Otis Palmer Teri Recca Roseanne Riolo Rosemary Rizzi Bob Sforzo Doug Smith David Tanzer Curtis Thompson Mimi Torchio PRODUCTION Craig Donado Enrique Clayton Stella Gambino REILLY (ISS.' 10151) is published only once to honor a singular man: William F. Reilly. This commemorative i sue was created by manv of the fnends of WFR, and while this p1ec~ i intended as a tribute to a remarkable career that has touched us all, it is also a new beginning. This is perhaps the first vehicle we h ve collaborated on that is not blessed with d rect WFR input and does not have the potential of being totally redone if he doe nt like it. PRINTED IN THE USA. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 4 6 10 12 14 16 17 19 20 23 Bill dressed in traditional Scottish garb at a University of Notre Dame board meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland Tribute to William F. Reilly from Cardinal Hayes High School Letters from Editors A security guard's peek at the files WFR is having shipped to his new office New York's Intelligencer The Making of a Legend Gotham Succeeding with WFR without trying William F. Reilly: A True Profit Chicago's Frontlines PRIMEDIA'.s Reilly Era The Reilliad A remarkable saga of great successes and partnerships. Bill with Harry McQuillen
- 4. OM 101ro1s Vile Gossip By Jean Jennings The communist in the cupboard. It's a good thing Bill Reilly changed the company name from K-111 to PRIMEDIA, because after he left, K-11 would have sounded even less impressive than K-111 did. Which was already not too. Although I did say hello once to Rupert Murdoch in those halcyon Murdoch Magazine days of no human resources department and extremely hard-drinking presidents (lawsuit material, I tell you), Bill Reilly is the first chairman I have ever spent any time with. Which seems to give him acid indiges- tion. Understandably. Mr. Reilly is tan in February, and I don't think it's Clarins self-tanner. He wears DILBERT1 I'M SENDING YOU TO "DIVERSITY SENSITIVITY" TRAIN- ING. bespoke suits. His orchids always bl~m, and they're artfully tied to pussy willow stakes with raffia. His office is bigger than my living room. Mr. Reilly dines at the Four Seasons and knows the owners. His hands are as soft as a baby's butt. He wears shirts with white collars and cuffs. He has no hang- nails. He doesn't sweat. If we had ever gone fishing together, I just know I would have had to do his worms. Mr. Reilly was very nice to me when we had our first corporate meeting. I was nerv- ous mostly because Musette, the office cat, had been curled up in the library chair right before Mr. Reilly parked in it. I was pretty sure what his nether view was going to look like when he stood up to go. And there was no way I was going after his rear with a big sausage roll of packing tape. Musette moved permanently to my house after that. I don't think Bill Reilly knows anything at all about cars, but he put good old Harry McOuillen in charge. Harry didn't know any- thing about cars either, but we at least got to hear the killer Robert Maxwell stories about dwarf Filipino prostitutes and the naked-except-for-a-hairnet board meetings. And the food was always great. I don't think Bill Reilly eats. I think Mr. Reilly and his secretary got me mixed up once with David E. Davis, Jr.'s wife, Jeanne. We call me Jean and we call her Jeannie, and everyone is still confused. We were all in town for something or anoth- er, and Mr. Reilly asked David E. to meet him at the office at two o'clock to go see the work on his new townhouse on the Upper East side. Only he said "David and Jean" to his secretary, who then frantically called around New York looking for me, leaving messages that Mr. Reilly wanted me in the lobby at two. I came sliding into the lobby about five minutes late, sweating like a bot- tle of iced Cristal sitting on a picnic table in July, wondering why in heaven's name he wante~ _me. There was a glowering David E., waiting for a very late Mrs. Davis. He looked confused when he saw me, just sec- onds before his wife blew in. That Jean/Jeanne thing, I'm sure. So both Jeans saw the townhouse, but I swear Mr. Reilly looked at me qu1zz1cally for the entire tour wondering why David and Jeanne had brought me along, trying to place me in his vast empire. Of course: that was before that Bad Thing happened with my column.That time I wrote about all of our subscription problems and gave the names and phone numbers of every corporate biggie who was in charge. Without repeating every gruesome detail let me say that a corporate contingent wa~ dispatched from New York. They brushed past me in the hallway, blew into David E.'s office, and slammed the door. Hours later they emerged, blew past me without a word going the other way, and flew home. Mr. Reilly knew who I was then. One of the owners of his favorite restaurant, the Four Seasons, called me shortly alter this little dust-up. "Bill Reilly is calling you the bolshevik editor in Ann Arbor," he confided. I would just like to say that I voted for Bush. Not that I don't think we should share the cheese, free the zoo animals, eat tofu, ban the bomb, resurrect Che Guevara, ban pantyhose, ride bikes to work, and eat with chopsticks because wood is a lot more nat- ural than stainless steel. I would like Mr. Reilly to head out of his tastefully appointed, chicly elegant, always-blooming-with-orchids office in Manhattan knowing that that column must have been written by Jeanne Davis! She's the bolshevik! She's the communist! Until a new Fearless Leader comes along, hopefully offering stock options as generously as Bill Reilly, CAN! GET A "MIDOL" FOR EITHER ONE. OF ' You1 ) I remain, Jean Jennings
- 5. American Driver By David E. Davis, Jr. The editor ref/eds on the bosses of PRIMEDIA past. Dear Bill: I've thought about developing a form let- ter for use whenever one of my PRIMEDIA bosses goes off to explore other opportuni- ties, but the differences from departure to departure have made that difficult. Harry McQuillen was almost the worst boss I ever had, but he knew every Chinese restaurant within five blocks of his office, and our lunches were uniformly pleasant. If he ignored my memos and refused to return my phone calls, what the hell. If I ever wrote a farewell letter to Harry, it would sound like the lament of an abandoned wife, or a neg- lected child, and that would be counterpro- ductive. Charlie Siegel was the worst boss I ever had, and that includes my bosses in auto- mobile factories, automobile dealerships, construction gangs, landscaping crews, advertising agencies, other magazines, and the United States Navy. Charlie did his best to gaslight me, and planted my path with punji sticks. If I had written him a farewell, it might have sounded a little too triumphant. Jim Warner came and went so quickly. It seemed as though I was still digesting our introductory lunch when we had our farewell breakfast. I liked Jim, and he seemed to like the magazine business, and I was sorry to learn that he'd fallen off the chart. My farewell letter to Jim would have been lighter in tone. To paraphrase an earlier and more famous farewell, it could have begun, "Jim, we hardly knew ye." And now you're heading off to new adventures. As I told you on the phone, I never thought for a moment that I'd outlast you at PRIMEDIA. I'm going to miss you. I enjoyed our meetings and meals together, and I enjoyed wandering through your house as it was nearing completion. I got a great deal of pleasure from the Ford tractor that was my signing bonus, and our family farm-Red's Bog-is a better place for all the work it did. I've enjoyed a kind of autonomy working for you that I've never known anywhere else, though sometimes it seemed that you were in one business and I was in another. I wish I could have seen you in our Ann Arbor offices more often. I would have enjoyed bouncing story ideas off of you,and showing you the latest batch of great photo- graphs from some corner of the automotive universe. I'd bet that I've had a lot more fun in this business than you have, and I feel badly about that. I'd like you to have shared my joy with each scoop, every newissue,all the delights that make editing a magazine the finest job in the modern world of work. I owe you a lot. We all do.You were ahard negotiator, but I was well paid for a job that must seem like an ongoing vacation tomost people. I have a great deal of fun every day. I laugh a lot. I'm surrounded by people who stimulate, inform, and entertain me. I can honestly say that my work does more good than harm, and I am enormously proud of the magazines we have created as your employees. · you as I hope that your next venture gives f r g ofpleasure and ee inmuch genuine accomplishment as your PRIMEDIA has given me. stewardship of REILLY 5
- 6. A securityguardS peek at the files WFRis having shipped to his-newoffice. lejeeled Annual leporf Chairman's LeHer Orall 4f7~ Chairman's letter ...., Books I Could Write Next Wee The Importance ofAlways Planning (every minute and every move) byWFR How to Delegate Yourself to Fame and Fortune byWFR Power Napping- JD. Rockefeller DidIt, Too ByWFR Ambien-TheJet Setters Miracle ByWRF Why I Have Grown to Love Lawyers ByWFR An Accountants Guide to Being a CEO byWFR 50 French and Latin Phrases You Can Use to Impress Your Co-Workers byWFR The Art ofRecognizing Soap Opera Stars ByWFR POP CULTURE ByWFR A Re-evaluation ofUnion General McClellan ByWFR What I may some day learnfrom Roman General Fabius Cunctator, the "Great Delayer" ByWFR Chairman Mao-Not a Bad Guy for Someone Who Likes Red ByWFR
- 7. What I Learned About China In late 1997, Bill was on a mission to China to create trade magazines and to develop a relationship with the Chinese. During the trip he stayed at the Chinese State Guesthouse and in Chairman Mao Tse-tung's room. Following are some ofthe things that he learned: • It's good to have the title of Chairman in China when doing business-it gets your picture on the wall of the "right" ministries. • Always make sure that you pick up the right glass when making a toast, especially in China where people really watch those things. • It's good to know the offspring of all the leaders on the Chinese money. These are the people who understand capitalism and were educated in the United States. • It is also good to know the Censorship Director when working in a communist country. • Don't invest too much time in making relationships with government or industry officials in communist countries because they may not be around too long. • Big status symbol- sleep in Chairman Mao's bed. Acquisition Checklist t/ Lunch should be good-"You can't run a company if you can't run a kitchen." t/ The bigger the mess, the better the acquisition potential. t/ Always wait until Beverly Chell is about to go on vacation to plan a big acquisition-she'll work faster that way. t/ Watch out for August moves. t/ Use personal appearances sparingly. t/ Watch out for OPP. t/ Find out what they do right before making changes. t/ Look for the accounting pick-up. t/ Load up the acquisition reserves. With the household staff in China Food shopping in Beiiing REILLY 1
- 8. The PRIMEDIA dress eode J9B9·f999 Dress Down Day Policy: No cuff-links Button-Down Shirt Policy: "They went out with Robert Kennedy." -Qyote from WFR 8 REILLY Proposed Cltairman's Awards • Almost Selling the Brooklyn Bridge Award. Awarded to: Chris Whittle during the Edison Presentation. • Selling the Brooklyn Bridge Award. Awarded to: Carl Westcott. • The Chutzpah Award. Awarded to: Kevin Maxwell asking for anything from Bill. • The Retirement Negotiation Help Award. Awarded to: Keith Kelly. • The Most Trees Destroyed for Making Presentations Award. Awarded to: The Strategy and Ops Department and The Acquisition Factory. • The Most Expensive Introduction ofBill Reilly Award. Awarded to: Bob Tisch who introduced Bill as the chairman of"Kill Communications," which resulted in spendin $4 million on the new company name. • Best Excuse at an Investor Conference Call Award. Awarded to: Warren Bimblick for "and the satellite just fell from the sky."
- 9. Remembrances I first met Bill Reilly right after K-III purchased Soap Opera Digest. During a tour of our shabby office, Bill was friendly and supportive, but I couldn't help noticing he looked a little anxious. I thought it might be the peeling paint or the worn carpet. Later Beverly Chell confided what really had him unnerved. "We've got a 24-year-old running the business!" he'd cried to Beverly after his visit. I wasn't insulted-especially since I was 31 at the time. And whatever reservations he had about the magazine quickly evaporated as he delved into the business. Before long, Bill was pushing for my "wish list" for the magazine; within months we had more color, better paper and a major redesign. We didn't get better offices right away, though. That didn't happen until well after I hired Jane Reilly as an editorial assistant. With space tight, we converted a closet into an office for Jane. From then on, every time Bill visited 25th Street, he'd leave saying, "We've got to get you out of here!" (A promise kept as soon as our lease was up, by which time Jane had blossomed into the editor of her own magazine.) WithLynn Leahey Bill's enthusiasm has been contagious, and his support for . . the people and the product at Soap Opera Digest unstmtmg. He has never been shy about celebrating the magazine's success (his Soap Opera Awards Show parties have become legend in the industry) or failed to show genuine interest in the magazine's content. Not that I think he'll start watching "All My Children." But you never know. Lynn Leahey Editor in Chief Soap Opera Digest
- 10. BRILL REILLY'S CONTENT Ink-buyer Bill Reilly, having just gone independent from PR1MEDIA, does not plan on going gently into that good night. Rumors as to his next incarnation include purchas- ing Steve Brill's Content and turning it into a daily. "Who gave you such information?" retorted a furious Brill when asked about the possibility. "Journalism based on un- named sources is a scourge on the profession and I will per- sonalJy fire the moron who shot off his (or her) mouth to your reporter. Not that the city's unruly media mob wouldn't benefit from a daily application of my rigorous standards..." Reilly, on safari in Kenya, could not be reached for comment. AROSY FUTURE FOR REILLY Unlike Greta Garbo, Char- lie Rose doesn't just want to be left alone. "I realized how damn dark that studio is," said the gifted gabber, "and it started to creep me out." To remedy his solitude, Rose has been auditioning a number of people for the role of his sidekick. Likely candidates include George Plimpton, Mort Zuckerman, and Ruth Reichl; though insiders are saying that the dark-horse is former PRIMEDIA CEO Bill Reilly. "There are so many moments in the show where I just want to have a little banter with someone on air," sighed Rose. "You know, just to talk about what I did last night, or some movie I saw." When asked about his possible on- air future, Reilly, in the midst of a hearty laugh, replied, "You are correct sir! Charlie is a television titan, and to ex- change bon mots with him would be a gas. Hey-o!" THE WILY BILL REILLY It seems that the upcoming senate race may have one more wrinkle than expected. Sources tell us that Bill Reil- ly, the former PRIMEDIA honcho, is mulling a senate bid of his own, inspired by the unseemly slugfest already underway between Hillary and Rudy. "The thought is that the two will just knock each other out, and the man ER AND SO ITGOES: Co rt-watchers who were just getting used to the last - team Patricia Duff had assembled should pull out th ·r lineup cards again. The society doyenne, whose ettody battle with billionaire Ron Perelman has now cus h' . h . .lasted longer than t e1r m?mage, as once agam eighty- . ed her crew of lawyers m favor of former PRIMEDIA ;O Bill Reilly. "I wanted a dr~gon.sla,~er,". quipped Duff, "and I think ,!'ve. f~und one m B1.ll. Reilly was a bit more guarded. This is an extraordmary opportuni- ty," he remarked, "though I have no formal legal educa- tion. certainly the boardroom of P_RIMEDIA h?s been a suitable training ground for the kmd of theatrics called for in me courtroom in defense of this much maligned lady. I look forward to a long and succesful relationship with my new client." Long .and,successful? "I'm no fool,• Re11ly added. "It's not hke I ve started measuring for curtains or anything." left standing will be Bill Reil- ly," notes one politico. Reil- ly's potential colleague in the Senate, Charles Schumer, has also counseled the pub- lishing magnate. "If real es- tate magnate (and model- magnet) Donald Trump can make the cover of Newsweek in his presidential bid," Schumer opined, "Bill should be a shoo-in for Senate." Reilly was unavailable for comment; he's said to be in Minnesota-getting some grappling training from Gov- ernor Jesse Ventura. REILLY PLAYS HIS TRUMP CARD The Donald's planned east- side behemoth may be get- ting nothing but grief fron its neighbors; it's also get ting its first celebrity tenant: former PRIMEDIA CEO Bill Reilly. Reilly signed a lease to move into the triplex pent- house upon the building's com- pletion in 2002. As the guy who had to listen to complaint s about unflat- tering stories in New York for years, Reilly said he is inured to criticism. But he denied ru- mors that Trump actually gave him the pad, which has an indoor swimming pool, a wine cellar, and a dining room that can seat 65, in exchange for a cover story in New York. "That's the new guy's problem," Reilly aid cheerfully.
- 12. 1belVIakingofaLegend From Team Player to Team L eader Over the years WFR grew in stature but never lost that boyish charm. While a dedicated team player on the court at St. Catherine's in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., Bill was confident, as usual, when he was handed the ball and could take a shot. He is the third from the left in the front row (right). At Camp Ropioa in Harrison, Maine, WFR's eager grin said, "Put me in, Coach." He is second from right in the first row (bottom right). Charles McCurdy, Bill and Beverly Chell in one of the first photo- graphs taken after they founded K-111 (above). In the spotlight- omposed and ready c to speak (top right). t~ ILLY
- 13. WFR never stops looking for ways to make the world (and his home) a better place. ~With-from left-PRIMEDIA Board member H. John Greeniaus Scott Stuart of KKR and Bill Baker' president of Channel 13/WNET ' at an event honoring Henry Kravis in 1998. The William F. Reilly Computer Wing at Cardinal Hayes High School in the South Bronx- made possible by contributions from its namesake. 111- ~Joining a Citymeals-on-Wheels delegation at City Hall in 1995 with-from left-Holly Jacobson from GM, his Honor the Mayor, Loews CEO Bob Tisch, NYC Commissioner of Elder Affairs Herb Stupp and Marcia Stein, Citymeals-on-Wheels Chair. At the William F. Reilly Computer Wing dedication, October 29, 1999, with Monsignor John Graham, principal, Cardinal Hayes High School.111- ~ Scoring big with WNBC Sportscaster Len Berman for the Boy Scouts of America in 1995. Proud and happy with his kids Jane and Tony by his side.111- ~ Bill's tasteful, meticulous renovations to his New York City home as featured in the July 1997 issue of Architectural Digest. Being lauded by Sister Mary Rose McGeady at a 1996 Covenant House event in Bill's honor.Ill-
- 14. THE SCENE On the Town s a.business and civic leader, Bill Reilly believes that it is as important to celebrate accomplishments as it is to work hard to achieve success. When he ·s out on the town in Black Tie it is usually with a serious reason. Combining'his sense of m· · · h h.iss1on wit is sense of fun has been raised to an art form with Reilly. He has been se~n everywhere from helping Steven Spielberg raise mo.ney for the SHOAH Visual History Fo_undat1on, to chairing the annual James Beard Tnb.ute Benefit for Citymeals-on-Wheels, to motivating young leaders to excel through Channel One, Cardinal Hayes High School and the University of Notre Dame. 1. Surrounded by "appetizing" models in food- themed outfits at the 1993 American Chefs' Tribute to James Beard benefitting Citymeals-on- Wheels. 2. With another driven man of vision- Steven Spielberg. 3. No catty comments-that's Bill's daughter Jane, editor of Cats magazine. 4. Sharing smiles with Channel One newscasters Monica Novotny (left) and Tracy Smith (right). s. Stepping out for Cityme~ls-on-~heels (CMOW) with Bob Grimes, CMOW vice chair (left), CMOW Chair Marcia Stein and her husband Myron Stein (center) and Loews Chairman Bob Tisch (right). 6 • Mr. and Mrs. Bill Be~tel make news with WFR at his legendary Mardi Gras bash at lndustria. 7 Bringing the average age of the group up to 2 ,5 ta Channel One event with (from left) C ~tal Green, Branden Chavez, an unidentified wr:man, Chris Osborn, Lisa Ling, Craig Jackson and Joel Brand. 14REILLY
- 16. SucceedingwithWFRwithout trymg When it comes to business, it is always best to approach Bill Reilly on his own terms and conditions. It isfar simpler to learn his rules efengagement than to deal with the consequences efbreaking them. Don't Mess With Reilly 16REILLY At the end of 1997, Bill Reilly gave the go-ahead to expand New York magazine's marketing effort. When this bus ad hit the streets, Rudy Guiliani went ballistic and ordered them all to be taken down. Reilly immediately said, "No," and authorized a PRIMEDIA team of lawyers to protect the First Amendment at all costs. The result was a red-faced Rudy and several wins in court for PRIMEDIA.
- 17. William F. Reilly. A True Profit in 1980with Bill Reilly team would have been 55 today. uld be $3.5 billion for his shareholders. PRIMEDIA $3.o $2.S $2.0 $1.5 $1.0 l $0.5 $0.0 ~-I--:-I~1:----791-5IJ6-J7 J. J,92 93 94 REILLY11
- 19. a development certain to shock the sporting world, otre Dame football coach Bob Davie has named Wil- ~ F. Reilly starting quarterback of the Fighting Irish, Chicago magazine has learned. · 's ~ot loads of experience, and he's cool under pres- Davie explained. "Plus, he's got that long, lean shape to any fat Michigan lineman." beat ou~ returning star Jarious Jackson, who gra- accepted his move to the bench. "I was skeptical at first I saw the ~y hair," Jackson said. "But the guy really me something. He can motivate this team." historians were hard pressed to recall a more star- -~rse success in any sport. "There was the time his first title shot," said Professor Norbert Stall of "B 'ege. ut that was a movie." sources said Reilly had been working out in se- past 32 years, before joining team practices this e caught on real quick," marveled offensive coor- dinator Kevin Rogers. "It's like he'd been groo1 for this job. He's got leadership, mobility, and t fense just as fast and smooth as an accountant rL d sheet. No fat Michigan lineman is goingto flustc.r B1 Veteran sportswriters were scramblingto pull t ti.on on Reilly's career. "The onlystats I could fin thing called EBITDA," said Walter "Buzz" Bun PF · h Lancaster Daily Sentinel. "Based on the EBITDA, Reillp ar a strong competitor. The Irish have found themseh·es arot n- EBITDAth ame as ~neracre rial star. I forget, though-is e s, to yards per completion?" h Davie With a tough schedule throughout the fall, Coac . h. . . , 1 h ' ot confidence in is isn't making prom.lses. But its .c ear es g fifth Horsen1•1n new quarterback. "I'm not saymg we':e got ~'B I'll tell ,ou of the Apocalypse here," Davie caunoned. ut · this: Bill knows how to win." Reilly himselfwas unavailable for comment. I A fat Michigan lineman grunted. REILLY 19 __..........
- 20. ... I I n a development certain to shock the sporting world, Notre Dame football coach Bob Davie has named Wil- liam F. Reilly starting quarterback of the Fighting Irish, Chicago magazine has learned. "Bill's got loads of experience, and he's cool under pres- sure," Davie explained. "Plus, he's got that long, lean shape to see over any fat itlichigan lineman." Reilly beat ou~ returning star Jarious Jackson, who gra- yaccepted his move to the bench. "I was skeptical at first I saw the gr~y hair," Jackson said. "But the guy really me something. He can motivate this team." ports historians were hard pressed to recall a more star- dark-h?rse success in any sport. "There was the time got his first title shot," said Professor Norbert Stall of College. "But that was a movie." ' sources said Reilly had been working out in se- past 32 years, before joining team practices this caught on real quick," marveled offensive coor- dinator Kevin Rogers. "It's like he'd been groomed all his life for this job. He's got leadership, mobility, and he reads a de- fense just as fast and smooth as an accountant reads a balance sheet. No fat Michigan lineman is going to fluster Bill." Veteran sportswriters were scrambling to pull up informa- tion on Reilly's career."The only stats I could find were for this thing called EBITDA," said Walter "Buzz" Bumppo, of the Lancaster Daily Sentinel. "Based on theEBITDA, Reilly's areal strong competitor. The Irish have found themselves a poten- tial star. I forget, though-is EBITDAthe same as average yards per completion?" . With a tough schedule throughout the fall, Coach ~aVl.e isn't making promises. But it's clear he's got confidence mhis new quarterback. "I'm not saying we've got a fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse here," Davie cautioned. "But I'll tell you this: Bill knows how to win." Reilly himselfwas unavailable for comment. • A fat Michigan lineman grunted. REILLY 19
- 21. PRIMEDIA's Reilly Era Going public On November 2, 1995 K-111 became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with the symbol KCC. At the listing-front row from left- Doug Smith, Robert Fagenson, Catherine Kinney, group EVP, NYSE, Richard A Grasso, NYSE chairman, Charles McC~rdy, Beverly Chel.1. Back row from left-Harry McOuillen, Jack Farnsworth, an unidentified man, Michaelanne D~sce~olo, Curtis Thompson, Paul Frankel and David Adler. Right, following the ceremony, Grasso presented Bill with a copy of the original notification about Bill's father becoming a member of the NYSE. Staying public 0 November 18, 1997, K-111 changed its name to PRIMEDIA with a fashion show on Wall St~eet and re-list~d on .the NYSE with the symbol PRM. lvanca T.rump, ~aughter of real estate mogul Donald Trump and his ex-wife.Ivana .Trump, mo?eled a Betsey Johnson designed ticker-tape dress created just for the special event. Bottom right, Bill, along wit~ Beverly Chell, Charles McCurdy, lvanca Trump and rock t·on Robin rings the bell for the start of trading. sensa 1 / 20REILLY
- 22. Beverly and Bob Chell Lisa and Charlie McCurdy WFR hits home run during '92 softball game with Newbridge and quits while he's batting 1000. Back row-from left-Aileen Sardo, Cathy Hedman, Ann Riposanu, Alan Lee, Otis Palmer, Mary Shea, Steve Elzy, David Braddish, Kevin Neary, Roger Glenn, Dave Sobel, Angela Schacht, Bill is behind the dark shades, Stephen Verlin . Middle row-from left- Clio Alexiades, Diana Neumann, Beverly Chell, Cheryl Spivak, Shelly White, Gene Nerestant and Maureen O'Connell. Front row-from left- Lois Herzfeld, Michaelanne Discepolo, Jennifer Chu, Rebecca Albrecht, Evette Pastoriza, Christine Sullivan, Katina latrou and Caroline Pinto.
- 24. Of PRIMEDIA and the man I sing, 0 muse! Who set sail from Macmillan in the midst of pillage- The broken wall, the burning tower and Robert Maxwell dead- To land on the shores of a place he called K-III, In honor of the unblinking god "K" And his bedraggled shipmates Chell and Charl. Many tribulations on land and sea Were doled out to him, but he relented not. From his first humble village of clay and wattles built At 599 Lexington Avenue, 35th floor He conquered Intertec and Newbridge tribes And brought them underneath his destined thrall. But "K", relentless, demanded greater feats Than Jehovah asked ofJonah, So instead of being swallowed by Leviathan, He steered his mothership to catch a whale. Bettering Ahab, he caught two, When Field and Murdoch Magazines he seized, Brought glory to the people of K-III, And order to the world of magazines. And so, after many years of conquests Launched from the Capitoline of 745 Fifth, Establishing an empire founded in brick, Left in marble, now called PRIMEDIA, With Magazines, Information and Education He declared for all posterity: "Omnia PRIMEDIA in tres partes divisa est." Three segments, one company, many legends. -Publius Vergilius McCurdius REILLY '3