Yuma, Arizona - Former Arizona Highways Magazine publisher Win Holden will tell the story of how a brochure produced by the Arizona Highway Department evolved into one of the most respected and revered publications in the world during KAWC’s upcoming Spirited Discussion.
KAWC invites the community to attend this free event, which will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 7, at St. Paul's Cultural Center, 645 S. 2nd Ave. Appetizers and beverages will be available.
With an annual economic impact of over $65 million, Arizona Highways reaches all 50 states and over 100 countries. But the journey has been anything but uneventful. With a unique publishing model not dependent on advertising, the magazine has had to unearth new sources of revenue to sustain its operations. And, as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation, the magazine has had to survive without state funding. Learn how this remarkable publication has beaten the odds and is thriving with 120,000 subscribers in a competitive environment that has seen respected national magazines fall by the wayside.
Holden was named the sixth publisher of Arizona Highways Magazine in May of 2000 and recently retired from the position in June. He has been recognized by the Arizona Office of Tourism and the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association as their 2017 and 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Phoenix Business Journal, and was the 2007 inductee into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame. Holden is also the Chairman of the Board of the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association Board of Directors.
This Spirited Discussion series is part of the AZ Speaks program, made possible in part by Arizona Humanities, a nonprofit that supports public programs that promote understanding of the human experience in Arizona. Arizona Humanities provides funds to cultural, educational, and nonprofit organizations across the state.