ISA announces appointment Rick Zabel to Group Publisher position

Summary

August 31, 2017 – The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced that Rick Zabel, the Publisher and Managing Director of its Automation.com subsidiary, has been appointed to the newly established position of ISA Group Publisher.

The Group Publisher position expands Zabel’s role beyond Automation.com, giving him management responsibility over all of ISA’s publishing resources, which include:

• The InTech bi-monthly magazine (available in print, digital, online and smart-device versions)
• Print and digital books authored by subject-matter experts
• Technical papers of symposia proceedings, standards recommended practices and reports
• The Directory of Automation purchasing guide for automation professionals
• Interactive software solutions
• ISA Transactions, the professional journal focused on the science and engineering of automation.

In assuming the new Group Publisher role, Zabel will manage ISA’s entire range of digital, online and print publishing resources; content-delivery channels and capabilities; and advertising opportunities from a single, integrated standpoint.

“This is an important new management position at ISA,” emphasizes Peggie W. Koon, Ph.D. ISA Interim Executive Director. “The Group Publisher will be able to fully leverage the combined value of our technical content and media offerings, enhance collaboration between ISA and Automation.com, offer new and creative marketing and advertising solutions to our customers, and streamline operations.”

Dr. Koon says Zabel’s more than 17 years as Publisher and Managing Director of Automation.com—overseeing all publishing and editorial activities, coordinating solution/product development, customizing advertising campaigns, and directing sales and account management—and his in-depth knowledge of the automation community uniquely qualify him for his new role. 

Zabel has directed content development and delivery on Automation.com since the website was launched in 2000. Automation.com is a leading online publisher of automation-related content, featuring 45 topic-specific portals that post timely articles, news, products, white papers and other resources. More than 100,000 users visit the website per month.

Attracted by its strengths in digital content delivery and digital advertising channels, ISA acquired Automation.com in October of 2014 as a wholly owned subsidiary. Today, ISA’s InTech magazine and Automation.com already reach more than 145,000 automation and control professionals. Their collective strengths ensure global delivery of and access to vast technical content from highly recognized subject-matter experts as well as extensive marketing and advertising visibility, influence and opportunities.

About ISA

The International Society of Automation is a nonprofit professional association that sets the standard for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety, and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure. Founded in 1945, ISA develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its 40,000 members and 400,000 customers around the world. 

ISA owns Automation.com, a leading online publisher of automation-related content, and is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation, an association of non-profit organizations serving as “The Voice of Automation.” Through a wholly owned subsidiary, ISA bridges the gap between standards and their implementation with the ISA Security Compliance Institute and the ISA Wireless Compliance Institute