Primedia Names Gary Austin Chief Operating Officer of HPC Publications

Posted on July 31, 1998

William F. Reilly, chairman and chief executive officer of PriMedia Inc. announced that Gary Austin has been named chief operating officer of PriMedia's HPC Publications, adding to his responsibilities as senior vice president and director of publications. Austin is responsible for strategic planning, operations, management and revenue growth for the company's 100 publications, which include advertiser-sponsored guides for apartments, new homes, resale homes and computers.

"Gary has years of experience in the advertiser-sponsored guide publishing market, and is a superior and experienced executive," said Reilly. "He has helped to make HPC Publications the leader among apartment and new home guide publishers and I look forward to the insight he will bring to this new role. Gary will continue working with Bob Metz, with whom he has already created a team with a proven track record for success." Robert Metz is president and chief executive officer of HPC Publications.

Austin started with HPC Publications in 1983, as publisher of the San Antonio Apartment Guide. He went on to take charge of markets in Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Seattle; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz. After serving as regional director for several markets in the west, Austin moved to Philadelphia to open the northeast region for HPC Publications. In 1992 Austin began managing DistibuTech, a newly-created, separate division of HPC Publications which delivers advertiser-sponsored publications in over 60 markets. In 1995, Austin assumed responsibilities as director of publications, a role in which he set numerous revenue records and nearly tripled HPC's revenue from publications.

HPC Publications is a publisher of free consumer directories active in the multi-housing, new home, resale home and computer industries. These magazines are published monthly and are provided at no charge to customers.