Past Inductees

Mark Levine
Publisher
KIDS DISCOVER
2003

Bio | Induction Speech from Leanna Landsmann

Mark Levine inherited the American Baby title early in his life, left it for a few years to teach himself the publishing business, and came back to partner with his cousin and father to build a business. Together they took a small brochure—delivered by hand to new mothers—and transformed it into one of the strongest niche marketing companies in America. One of the most enduring accomplishments of Mark's life is the confidence he instilled in two generations of mothers and fathers who looked to American Baby titles for information about their new role as parents. Tens of millions of mothers counted American Baby as a companion and a comfort during the most critical times of their lives.

At the time of the sale of American Baby to Cahners Publishing in 1986, Mark's company was comprised of 10 magazine titles (including Childbirth Educator), two nationally distributed television shows, and a major sampling company—reaching millions of families as well as achieving genuine financial success. Mark, through his constant efforts to serve the new family market through as many paths as possible, helped create the concept of "integrated marketing" long before there was a phrase to describe it. He was pivotal to American Baby's decision to take magazine editorial to cable television, to market directly to the first-time experience, and to champion the cause of children's health to the Hispanic market.

After Mark sold American Baby, he remained at Cahner's as VP and Group Publisher. During that time, he planned his next venture and began to organize his thoughts around his belief that parents are their children's first teachers. He decided to follow the families he had served so well through his years at AB and created KIDS DISCOVER, in part in response to his own children's need for high quality, inspired non-fiction. Mark used his life-long interest in photography and expertise in production to help him choose an editorial staff that would create the distinct look and feel of KD. Along with his partner Bob Elder, he was able to design a business model that eventually brought KD to the homes and classrooms of over 500,000 children monthly. AEP rewarded Mark's vision with the Golden Lamp award in 1999, and KD continues to be nominated for AEP awards. KD also received the Parent's Choice Gold Award in 1996 and 1997. KD was nominated for the National Magazine Award in 1993.

Over the next few years, as children began sharing their favorite issues of KD with their teachers, Mark added another dimension to the KD business model—the classroom. in 1998 he purchased Creative Classroom and began to take fuller advantage of his knowledge of, and success with, the elementary educator market. He also began distributin the KD Teacher Catalog in 1997 and found a way to reach out to over one million teachers a year with his promise of consistently first-rate supplementary classroom material. In 1997 he founded First Time Teacher, a magazine for brand new, entry-level teachers.

Over the last 30 years, Mark has mentored many publishing professionals who have risen to very powerful an influential positions, including an SVP at Turner's Cartoon Network, several SVP's at AOL/Time Warner, the former publisher of Rosie, the Group Publisher of Gruner & Jahr, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of American Baby.

In addition, Mark has always put time and energy behind organizations that support his passions. He has served with the prestigious Aperture organization, the Committee for Photography at the Museum of Modern Art, the American Craft Council, and the Longhouse Foundation.