CultureMap Names Alyce C. Alston Chairman & CEO

HOUSTON, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CultureMap, LLC, a leading-edge digital media services company, today announced that Alyce C. Alston has been appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120723/LA44682)

Alston brings top-level executive leadership experience in building brands and successfully launching and growing companies across multiple industries to CultureMap. Her 25-year history of outstanding achievement is highlighted by her meteoric rise to the upper echelon in the magazine, publishing, and digital products industries, most notably as Publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine – the biggest magazine launch in history in ad revenue and circulation. She also has served as Vice President, Group Publisher for Fairchild/Conde Nast Publications' W magazine, among others; and as President of Emerging Businesses for Reader's Digest Association, a $3 billion global multi-channel direct marketer of content products and services.

In addition, Alston launched De Beers Diamond Jewellers in the U.S., serving as CEO of a joint venture between De Beers and Louis Vuitton - Moet Hennessy (LVMH), the world's leading luxury goods company. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of Commemorative Brands, Incorporated / American Achievement Corporation, a privately held consumer goods company located in Austin.

Having launched and expanded some of the world's most recognizable brands, Alston has restructured and revived organizations, launched new businesses and dramatically increased the impact and profitability of start-up and large companies. Entrepreneurial in nature, her consumer product and brand-building efforts have catapulted revenue, profits and market share for major organizations, and her vast resources and contacts within the publishing and media industries will establish CultureMap on a national level.

CultureMap, LLC is parent company to CultureMap.com, the daily digital magazine with a network of sites throughout Texas. CultureMap.com presents users with a curated guide to each city's best in class offerings in art, fashion, dining, music, events, politics, sports, social scenes and more.

Eliminating noise and providing users with only the best of what each city has to offer, CultureMap.com affords its users a greater opportunity to become more deeply rooted within their community through local intelligence and insight that shines a light on stories, places and happenings. The site's highly regarded editorial staff forges relationships with local establishments in order to bring together the city's most cultivated outlets into a single network.

"We are thrilled that Alyce has joined CultureMap, where she will be a leader and catalyst for our future success and unparalleled growth. We are enthusiastically committed to dramatically 'upping the stakes' with Alyce at the helm," said John F. Thrash, speaking on behalf of a majority of the financial partners who have invested more than $5 million. "From the investor perspective, we are fully prepared to support our new Chairman and CEO in her vision to take CultureMap to levels heretofore beyond our own imaginings, including an immediate multiple large-markets launch throughout Texas."

"I am extremely excited to join CultureMap," stated Alston. "CultureMap's reputation for a great editorial product, and an outstanding web and mobile publishing platform that is aligned with a sea of change in consumer trends and preferences, provides a foundation for success. I look forward to working with such a talented and dedicated team."

Alston holds an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University and a B.A. from Southern Methodist University. She regularly speaks at industry events on changing markets and the impact on company growth.  She also serves as an Advisory Board Member for The Eudora Welty Literary Foundation, the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame, Texas Women of Wall Street and The Odyssey Advancement Learning. 

ABOUT CULTUREMAP, LLC

CultureMap, LLC is a leading-edge digital media services company based in Houston, TX. Its flagship brand, CultureMap.com is a daily digital magazine throughout Texas that delivers 24/7 real-time reporting and analysis, breaking news, opinions and perspectives on the arts, fashion, dining, music, events, politics, sports and social scenes. CultureMap's highly regarded editorial team and contributors work on a cutting-edge web and mobile publishing platform to offer unique intelligence and insights that shine a light on stories, places and happenings. CultureMap does not simply report on the communities it covers; the brand actively participates in them and forges connections through conversations, dialog and an array of development and marketing services.

SOURCE CultureMap, LLC; CultureMap.com