Garden & Gun Magazine Promotes David DiBenedetto to Editor-in-Chief

Charleston, S.C., July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rebecca Darwin, President and CEO of Garden & Gun announced today that David DiBenedetto has been promoted to the position of Editor-in-Chief for the award-winning magazine effective August 15, 2011.  DiBenedetto joined Garden & Gun in January 2008 as Executive Editor.  Previously DiBenedetto was Editor of SaltWater Sportsman, where he led the publication to its first ever National Magazine Award nomination (General Excellence).  Prior to that, DiBenedetto was Deputy Editor at Field & Stream.  DiBenedetto, a native of Savannah, GA, began his career at Men’s Journal and is also the author of On the Run: An Angler’s Journey down the Striper Coast (Harper Collins).  In addition, he has worked as a freelance writer with his work appearing in numerous magazines, ranging from Rolling Stone to Outdoor Life.

“David is the natural choice to take the reins as Editor-in-Chief.  His contributions during our time of growth have been invaluable. We have seen our print ad revenue double in 2011 as well as triple-digit growth in online traffic. It is a great time for the brand and David has been an integral part of this success,” says Darwin, who founded the magazine in 2007.

“I want to thank Sid Evans, our outgoing Editor-in-Chief, for his contributions in giving structure to what is an outstanding award-winning magazine. He will be missed,” adds Darwin. Evans will be moving to Time Inc. as Group Editor of their Lifestyle Division.

Garden & Gun won the 2011 National Magazine Award for General Excellence in the Food, Travel and Design category from the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) as well as a coveted James Beard Foundation Award in the “Food Culture and Travel” category. In addition, the October/November 2011 issue is expected to be the largest ever in both pages and revenue and the April/May 2011 issue single copy sales have doubled over the previous year.  

“David has a vision that fits very well with the brand and we have relied on it to drive this magazine to the place it is today.  He innately understands what our readers want.  His sense of what makes a strong editor will continue to keep Garden & Gun on its current trajectory,” says Barbara Bing, Publisher of Garden & Gun.

Garden & Gun will celebrate its fifth anniversary in the spring of 2012 and continues to resonate with both male and female readers. In addition to the magazine and bi-weekly e-newsletters, Garden & Gun offers an innovative tiered Club membership which includes a variety of benefits including exclusive members-only events and special content.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be at the helm of Garden & Gun. Our readers are as passionate as ever, and they're hungry for more ways to experience G&G, whether it's online, through social media, or at our Club events. To take an even larger role in delivering the many facets of G&G to our fans is an honor,” says DiBenedetto.

About Garden & Gun  Launched in 2007, Garden & Gun has proven to be one of the nation’s best new magazines. The upscale lifestyle magazine celebrates the magic of the South -the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people and their ideas.  The magazine reaches a national audience of over 600,000 passionate and engaged readers and has won numerous awards for its journalism, design and overall excellence.  www.gardenandgun.com

CONTACT: Sterling Eason
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SOURCE Garden & Gun