Penton Media Inc. said yesterday that Thomas L. Kemp will depart later this year as chairman/CEO of the business-to-business magazines and tradeshow owner.
A search committee led by independent directors is working to find a replacement to lead the 112-year-old company in Cleveland, OH. Kemp will remain in charge of the publisher of titles including Air Transport World, Homeland Response, Food Management and IndustryWeek until a replacement is found.
“Penton's business conditions have improved, and the company has achieved a level of stability that we have not experienced during the past few years,” Kemp said in a statement. “Consequently, the board of directors and I have agreed that the time is right for a transition to new leadership.”
The 52-year-old Kemp was named Penton's CEO in 1996, adding the chairman title in 2001. He previously spent 22 years at Miller Freeman Inc., where he was president and chief operating officer of the San Francisco BTB publisher before he moved to Penton.
