About
Edward Fones is President of Fones Consulting & Digital Marketing and has been in the publishing and direct marketing business for over 35 years. He currently helps a wide variety of clients in the areas of overall marketing strategy and improving profitability, strategic guidance for determining how to maximize print and digital initiatives, email marketing, maximizing website e-commerce, membership marketing, fundraising, developing business plans for magazine start-ups, consumer marketing, creative development, lifetime value creation and analysis, database marketing, international expansion, and web strategy.
In addition to his consulting and digital marketing responsibilities, Ed has created and facilitates the Digital Marketing Idea Exchange with a group of leading-edge marketers to share best practices and develop state-of-the-art digital marketing solutions. Current companies include Rodale, National Geographic, Consumer Reports, America’s Test Kitchen, Bonnier Corp., Harvard Business Review, The Smithsonian, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, Guideposts, and Galvanized Brands.
Edward Fones was formerly the Senior Vice President, Managing Director and Worldwide Publisher for the Men’s Health Group at Rodale Inc. Fones was responsible for overseeing all activities of the Men’s Health franchise, including advertising, editorial and circulation for the U.S. and International editions, the Men’s Health online business, and Men’s Health books.
Ed also served as the Vice President, General Manager for Men’s Health for 4 years and created one of the most profitable and successful magazine websites in the industry. As Vice President, GM he also executed one of the most successful international expansions of any magazine, building an $80 million business with 26 editions in 33 countries with wholly owned businesses, joint ventures and licenses.
Prior to his publisher roles on Men’s Health, Ed was Vice President Circulation for all Rodale titles, where he oversaw all of the circulation functions including subscriptions, single copy, fulfillment and customer service for 12 Rodale titles.
In January 1999, Ed was the youngest member to be inducted into the DMA Consumer Marketing Hall Of Fame. He has served as Chairman of the Direct Marketing Association’s Circulation Council and was as a long-standing member of the DMA Circulation Council Operating Committee. He was on the Consumer Marketing Committee of the Magazine Publishers of America, an Editorial Advisor to Circulation Management Magazine, and a member of the ABC Board Advisory Committee. Fones was named to Capell’s Circulation Report’s “Dream Masthead” for 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1995. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Allentown YMCA