Rodale, Inc.

Rodale, Inc. (/ˈroʊdeɪl/), was an American publisher of health and wellness magazines, books, and digital properties headquartered in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, with a satellite office in New York City.[1] The company was founded in 1930. In 2017, it w [1] The company was founded in 1930. In 2017, it was acquired by New York City-based Hearst Communications, a media conglomerate. The company launched and published health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health and Prevention, and books, including the bestsellers An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore and Eat This, Not That by health writer David Zinczenko. Rodale Inc. was founded in 1930 by J. I. Rodale. He was a partner with his brother, Joseph, in Rodale Manufacturing, which produced electrical switches. Joseph moved Rodale Manufacturing to Emmaus, Pennsylvania to take advantage of favorable local taxes, while J. I. dabbled in publishing. In 1942, Rodale started Organic Farming and Gardening magazine. It taught people how to grow food with organic farming techniques. Today, Organic Gardening is the best-read gardening magazine in the world.[2] In 1950, Rodale introduced Prevention, a health magazine. In 1971, J. I. Rodale died during a taping of The Dick Cavett Show, and his son, Robert Rodale (1930–1990), took over the company’s leadership. On September 20, 1990, Robert Rodale was killed in a car accident during a business trip in Russia. In 1972, Rodale Press was one of the five founding members of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) (now IFOAM–Organics International), founded at Versailles, France.[3] Following Robert Rodale's death, his wife, Ardath Harter Rodale (1928–2009), became chairman and chief executive officer of the company. In 2000, Steven Pleshette Murphy joined the company as president and chief operating officer, and was named president and CEO in 2002.[4] On June 18, 2007, Ardath Rodale stepped down as chairman, and her daughter, Maria, was named chairman. Ardath remained a member of the company’s board and took over the new title of Chief Inspiration Officer. On September 1, 2009, Murphy stepped down as President and CEO. Maria Rodale, granddaughter of company founder J.I. Rodale and daughter of previous chairpersons Robert Rodale and Ardath Rodale, succeeded Murphy as CEO.[5] ...view more