Dallas Voice expanding staff, services to include events, social media management
Tammye Nash | Managing Editor
“These days in the world of media, it’s all about evolution,” Voice Publishing Co. co-owner and publisher Leo Cusimano said. And Voice Publishing, parent company of Dallas Voice, is constantly evolving.
“We have already evolved into a powerhouse in the publishing industry, and we are continuing to grow and change,” added Cusimano, who owns the company with Terry Thompson, Voice Publishing president.
Cusimano noted that the company has already added new positions and will “soon be expanding our staff to 13 full-time employees.” In this day of layoffs and down-sizing in the publishing industry, “for a media company to be expanding its staff really says volumes about its future,” he said.
Voice Publishing is no longer just a newspaper called Dallas Voice. “We are a complete media source,” Cusimano said, “with multiple ways to get LGBT news and information out to our loyal readers — print, the web, our eBlast, our mobile site, social media outlets and more.”
One of the most visible recent expansions has been the company’s new foray into the world of hosting conferences and events and the addition of a conferences and events director to the Voice staff. This new direction began in early August when Dallas Voice presented The Wedding Party and Expo.
Mark Stinson Stokes, who had worked in advertising as a account manager, transitioned into the event director position and is already hard at work on the next special event.
“You can’t imagine how excited I am to have the opportunity to develop a new division of Dallas Voice,” Stokes said, adding that he is already in the final stages of space negotiations for the next Wedding Expo and Party and expects the event to be scheduled for Feb. 21.
Stokes said the company will also be producing a series of how-to seminars on wedding planning, called The Wedding Workshop, to be held across the Metroplex beginning in November.
“And there’s more,” he added, including a national, multi-city consumer conference, The LGBT Family Life conference and in November a book-signing with LGBT publishers and authors Mark Segal and Tracy Baim.
Taking Stokes’ place as account manager is Kris Martin, who returns to the Dallas Voice staff after several years operating her own public relations and marketing business. Martin previously worked in PR and marketing for Dallas Voice.
“True happiness is rejoining the Dallas Voice team after a five-year sabbatical running my own business,” Martin said. “Being a passionate member of this community for more than 20 years, I want everyone to understand that my drive and motivation is to continue to develop relationships and help build our community.
“My time will focus on creating compelling advertising and marketing campaigns for Dallas Voice clients and helping local businesses reach the loyal LGBT market,” Martin added. “My long-term goal is to earn your trust, work hard and have fun while doing so.”
Stephen Mobley already works part time as social media manager for Dallas Voice and Voice Publishing, and he will be joining the company’s staff full time soon as Voice Publishing branches out into yet another new service — offering social media management to other companies and individuals.
“My job is to get clients’ names out there and help them grow their companies,” Mobley said.
“A lot of people know they need to utilize social media, but they just don’t have the time. That’s where I come in,” he continued. “I can take that weight off their shoulders. ”
“We are in this business to serve our community and we are constantly finding new ways to do just that,” Cusimano said, pointing to these outlets and the company’s annual visitors and relocation guide, Out North Texas.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 9, 2015.