KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S. — Charles S. Sosland, chairman and chief executive officer of Sosland Publishing Co., announced on June 30 changes to the company’s executive leadership team. Effective July 1, Mark Sabo will assume the role of president emeritus of Sosland Publishing, and L. Joshua Sosland will become president of the company.
Sabo has spent his entire career with Sosland Publishing, joining the company in 1972 as general manager of Retail Baking Today after graduating from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s of arts degree in journalism. In 1977, he became director of sales for both Milling & Baking News and Retail Baking Today.
He was named assistant publisher in 1980 and was promoted to director of publishing at Sosland Publishing in 1981. He was named president of Sosland Publishing Co. and publisher of Milling & Baking News in 1986 in connection with a business venture between Sosland Publishing Co. and Fieldmark Media. Sabo also served as chairman of AIB International and was a member of many industry groups, including the American Society of Bakery Engineers, the Allied Trades of the Baking Industry and the Young Baking Industry Executives Committee of the American Bakers Association.
“Mark’s career has spanned nearly half of this company’s rich and long history, and he played a major role in reshaping this business,” said Charles Sosland. “We are grateful for Mark’s many years of leadership and the help he is providing as we position the company for a bright future.”
When Sabo joined the business, SPC published only two magazines — Milling & Baking News and Retail Baking Today. He played a pivotal role in the creation of a number of new titles at the company, including World Grain, Baking & Snack, Bake, In-Store and Food Business News. For many years he had a lead role in the annual Purchasing Seminar sponsored by Sosland Publishing.
In his new position, Joshua Sosland will have broader oversight of the editorial direction and greater involvement in the management of Sosland Publishing. An editor for the past 32 years, Sosland was named assistant editor in 1983 and became associate editor of markets in 1985. Coverage of ingredient markets was Sosland’s principal responsibility for the next 12 years. He was promoted to senior editor, markets, in 1990, and in 1997 was named executive editor of Milling & Baking News. He was promoted to editor in 2004 and has been editor of Food Business News since that magazine’s inception in 2005. He has been actively involved in the planning and execution of the Purchasing Seminar for more than 20 years.
“Josh has been a thoughtful and diligent editor for longer than three decades, dedicated to Sosland Publishing and the industries it serves,” Charles Sosland said. “I look forward to working with him as he assumes new responsibility.”
With the leadership changes, Charles Sosland remains chairman and chief executive officer. Each of the Sosland Publishing Co. magazine publishers, as well as other Sosland Publishing department heads, will report to him.
Established in 1922 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., Sosland Publishing Co. is a business-to-business publishing company focused principally on the grain-based foods and food processing businesses. Owned by members of the Sosland family, its publications include Milling & Baking News, Food Business News, Baking & Snack, World Grain, Meat & Poultry, Bake and In-Store. Its web sites include Bakingbusiness.com, Foodbusinessnews.net, meatpoultry.com, world-grain.com, instorebuyer.com and bakemag.com.