Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour, has been elected president of the American Society of Magazine Editors, filling the role inhabited by the outgoing Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker. Executive director Marlene Kahan made the announcement today at an ASME luncheon in New York. Leive has served on the board since 2001.

Also elected to the board today by ASME: Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith (vice president); Elle editor-in-chief Roberta Myers (secretary); New York editor Adam Moss (treasurer).

Said Thomas of being elected VP: "I promise not shoot any of you in the face."

Full release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CINDI LEIVE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGAZINE EDITORS
Burt-Murray, Moss, Northrop, Weisberg, Willey join the board

NEW YORK, May 8, 2006  Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour, has been elected president of the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME), it was announced today by Marlene Kahan, executive director of ASME. Leive has served on the board since 2001.

Leive was named editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine in May of 2001. Under her watch, Glamour has received a record number of editorial awards, including a National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2005, three Clarion awards from Women in Communications, and two Front Page Awards from The Newswomen's Club of New York. In 2005-2006, Glamour was also named for the first time to both Advertising Age's "A-List" and Adweek's "Hot List."

Leive's work has also been recognized outside the magazine industry. In 2006, she received a Women in Communications "Matrix" award; a "Champion of Choice" award from NARAL-NY for her continued coverage of women's health; and, along with Senator Hillary Clinton and Gloria Steinem, a "Lead Her" award from Girls Learn International for her activism in bringing Pakistani heroine Mukhtar Mai to the U.S. for the first time. She has also been named to Crain's "40 Under 40" list, Gotham's "Most Powerful Women Under 40," and appears frequently on TV, with regular appearances on Today, Good Morning America, World News Tonight and others. Prior to joining Glamour, Leive served as editor-in-chief of Self magazine. Before joining Self, she was deputy editor of Glamour.

"Cindi Leive is not only a superb magazine editor but a person who brings tremendous intelligence, energy and integrity to everything she does" said Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker, the outgoing president of ASME. "She cares passionately about ASME and its members, and will be a dynamic leader at a time of pivotal change in our industry."

"I'm thrilled to have the chance to serve ASME this way, and to follow a smart, decisive leader like Mark is a special honor," said Leive. "I look forward to working with our exceptional board as we continue our efforts to update ASME for the future while making sure it continues to be a strong voice for editorial excellence."

Evan Smith, editor of Texas Monthly, has been elected vice president. Other officers include Roberta Myers, editor-in-chief of Elle, who has been elected secretary, and Adam Moss, editor-in-chief of New York magazine, who is newly elected to the board and will serve as treasurer. Each ASME officer is elected for a one-year term and can be nominated for a second one-year term.

Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief of Essence, Peggy Northrop, editor-in-chief of More, Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate and David Willey, editor-in-chief of Runner's World and editorial director of the Rodale Sports Group have been elected to the board for two-year terms, and may be re-elected for a second two-year term.

Peter Brown, editor of Natural History, and Nancy Soriano, editor-in-chief of Country Living, have been re-elected to the board for a second two-year term.

The other members of the board who continue their terms are: Alfred Edmond, editor-in-chief of Black Enterprise; Cullen Murphy, former managing editor of The Atlantic Monthly; Martha Nelson, editor, the People Group; Nancy Novogrod, editor-in-chief, Travel + Leisure; and Kit Rachlis, editor-in-chief, Los Angeles magazine. Mark Whitaker remains on the board ex-officio.

Marlene Kahan is the executive director of ASME.

ASME sponsors the National Magazine Awards, the prestigious program that honors editorial excellence in magazines, and the Magazine Internship Program, which places about 40 college juniors at national magazines for ten-weeks each summer. ASME also holds monthly lunches and seminars for members, and a seminar program for junior editorial staffers. Each fall, it co-sponsors The American Magazine Conference for all publishing executives with Magazine Publishers of America.

The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) is a non-profit professional organization for editors of print and online magazines, which are edited, published and distributed in the U.S. Established in 1963, ASME currently has about 900 members nationwide. Among other things, ASME provides an opportunity for magazine editors to network with their peers. ASME works to preserve editorial independence and speaks out on public policy issues, particularly those pertaining to the First Amendment.