Warren Wilson & Chris Brune at the AHP Awards Luncheon in Charleston, S.C.
Wilson was recognized for his 25 years in equine publishing that have provided technical innovations bridging the transition from print to Internet. In addition to founding horsetrader.com in 1997, Wilson led development of online delivery of content as well as web-based business systems for publishers that remain a daily part of companies nationwide. Today, 15 AHP member magazines, websites and corporate members use technology his team developed in the last decade.
First named a Director of the AHP Board in 1995, Wilson served as AHP President in 2000-2001. He led numerous AHP workshops and panels on wide-ranging topics including editorial management, technology, and business development. He started the AHP “Small But Mighty” seminars for publishers of smaller titles in 2001, and monthly virtual Small But Mighty meetings continue today.
During the ceremony, Wilson was recognized for his innovation and collaboration. His company’s digital solutions have been shared. In one anecdote of 2006, when fellow AHP Publisher Crystal Brumme Kimball of The Equiery faced an insurmountable obstacle to going to press, she called Wilson, and the Horsetrader team added the Equiery to their web-based system. Almost 3,000 miles away, Equiery staff was able to make their press date. Eight years and almost 100 issues later, the Equiery continues to use the Horsetrader’s system.
Today’s collaborations extend outside the print realm, as Wilson and the Horsetrader team also now work with non-publishing AHP members including trade shows and associations to engage their audiences with online and mobile marketplaces and video contests.
Before California Horsetrader, Wilson’s publishing career began in newspapers. He was editor of his hometown weekly, the San Marcos Courier, at age 20. He moved on to a San Diego area morning daily, the Morning Press, first as Sports Editor before being named Managing Editor at age 26.
Upon receiving the AHP Champion Award, Wilson paraphrased Ex-SNL star Garrett Morris.
“AHP has been very, very good to me,” he said to the AHP membership. “This award is an honor, and so has been the privilege of being able to call you my peers and my friends.”
AHP was founded by a dozen publishers of equine periodicals in 1970. Today there are 473 members representing 96 publications as well as affiliates, corporations, students and individuals.
July 9th, 2014 at 7:20 am
A great, big, super congratulations! It was very interesting reading about your accomplishments, and it sounds like WCRHA could definitely benefit from your knowledge. We’ll have to work on that!
Congratulations, again! It is a privilege to work with you! –Eileen
July 10th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Thank you, Eileen. It’s a pleasure working with you, too, and it would be an honor to work with WCRHA!