Rodale, Inc. was an American publisher of health and wellness magazines, books, and digital properties. Rodale was headquartered in Emmaus, Pennsylvania and maintained a satellite office in New York City. It published health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health and Prevention. The company published a collection of bestsellers, including and Eat This, Not That.
History
founded Rodale Inc., in 1930. He was a partner with his brother, Joseph, in Rodale Manufacturing, which produced electrical switches. Joseph moved Rodale Manufacturing to Emmaus, Pennsylvania to take advantage of favorable local taxes, while J. I. dabbled in publishing. In 1942, Rodale started Organic Farming and Gardening magazine. It taught people how to grow food with organic farming techniques. Today, Organic Gardening is the best-read gardening magazine in the world. In 1950, Rodale introduced Prevention, a health magazine. In 1971, J. I. Rodale died during a taping of The Dick Cavett Show, and his son, Robert Rodale, took over the company’s leadership. On September 20, 1990, Robert Rodale was killed in a car accident during a business trip in Russia. In 1972, Rodale Press was one of the five founding members of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements , founded at Versailles, France. Following Robert Rodale's death, his wife, Ardath Harter Rodale, became chairman and chief executive officer of the company. In 2000, Steven Pleshette Murphy joined the company as president and chief operating officer, and was named president and CEO in 2002. On June 18, 2007, Ardath Rodale stepped down as chairman, and her daughter, Maria, was named chairman. Ardath remained a member of the company’s board and took over the new title of Chief Inspiration Officer. On September 1, 2009, Murphy stepped down as President and CEO. Maria Rodale, granddaughter of company founder J.I. Rodale and daughter of previous chairpersons Robert Rodale and Ardath Rodale, succeeded Murphy as CEO.
Sale to Hearst
In October 2017, New York-based Hearst Communications announced it would acquire the magazine and book businesses of Rodale. The transaction was expected to close in January following government approvals. Rodale announced some months prior that it would consider a total sale of the company, among other alternatives explored by its board of directors. It hired financial adviserAllen & Co. to lead the search for bidders. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, Hearst outbid Meredith Corporation, another large media company that had expressed interest in Rodale’s portfolio almost immediately after they solicited offers. After the sale, Hearst sold Rodale's trade publishing division to Crown Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House.
Rodale News' website was launched on Earth Day, April 22, 2009 with the tagline “where health meets green". The site provides news and information about health and the environment. Also included are daily news articles, videos, and in-depth topic pages.
