DES PLAINES, ILL. — CONTRACTOR Editorial Director Bob Miodonski has been named publisher of the magazine. He succeeds Jim McDermott, who is retiring after 37 years in the publishing business with Penton Media Inc.
“For 48 years, CONTRACTOR has been a trusted source of information for mechanical contractors as well as a valuable resource for manufacturers and other professionals in our field,” said Miodonski, who now has the title of publisher and editorial director. “I look forward to working with our sales people and editors to strengthen CONTRACTOR’s position of being our industry’s No. 1 source for news, market trends, business advice and new products.”
Miodonski has been CONTRACTOR’s chief editor since 1994. In that position, he’s also been editorial director of Radiant Living since that publication’s inception in 1996. Radiant Living is the official publication of the Radiant Panel Association and is published four times a year as a supplement to CONTRACTOR, Contracting Business and HPAC Engineering magazines.
In all, Miodonski has covered the plumbing, heating and piping industry for more than a dozen years. He’s also worked as managing editor and editorial director of Supply House Times, a magazine for plumbing, heating and industrial piping wholesalers. He previously worked in the newspaper business as a reporter and editor.
Miodonski is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He also holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where he served on the graduate school faculty as a part-time instructor.
Penton purchased Contractor in April 2001. Knowing its long history as the premier publication serving plumbing contractors, Group Vice President Jeff Forker said, “We were very happy to add CONTRACTOR magazine to our Mechanical Systems Group.”
This group of industry-leading publications includes Contracting Business magazine, Heating Piping Air Conditioning Engineering magazine, HVACR & Plumbing Distribution magazine, and the HVAC Comfortech Seminar and Exhibition program.