Rodale Inc. has promoted Steven Murphy, president and chief operating officer since joining the company in April 2000, to CEO. Murphy succeeds Ardath Rodale as CEO, although she will remain chairman. In announcing the appointment, Ardath Rodale cited Murphy's "substantial achievements in a difficult economy." Under Murphy's leadership, Rodale implemented a $40-million cost savings plan that returned the company to profitability in 2001.

Murphy said he was "thrilled to work for this family that is both entrepreneurial and dedicated to the mission of doing good." He noted that Rodale has spent the last year and a half "taking costs out of the business. We are positioned for growth and now is the time to turbo-charge the company by adding new books and magazines." Acquisitions are also a possibility, he added.

Murphy acknowledged that 2001 was a mixed year for the book group, which accounted for slightly less than half of the company's $500 million in total revenues. The trade division grew steadily last year, but the direct marketing division, the larger of the two units, had only a "fair" year, Murphy said. His vision for the book operation in 2002 is to get what he calls the direct-response division, which includes direct-mail and online marketing, working together with the trade side. "The old rule that says there is a trade book and a direct-mail book is hooey. It's all about good editorial," Murphy said. And the fact that Rodale has a 25-million-name database doesn't hurt the company when negotiating with agents. "Agents are finding that our direct marketing machine has the potential for reaching thousands of new readers," Murphy told PW.

In recent months Rodale has signed a number of authors, such as Dr. Pam Peeke and Denise Austin, "who bring their own multimedia platforms that are anchored in their books," Murphy said. The company has also signed an agreement with Dr. Andrew Weil to market his books directly to consumers as well as to develop TV and radio programs. The newest addition to Rodale's fall list is a memoir by Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Yolanda.