Review hires Halladay to bring ads in-house

By Jewish Review

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The Jewish Review has hired Gail Halladay as its advertising sales representative as the newspaper moves toward reclaiming its advertising sales department.

For the past approximately 14 years advertising sales have been handled for the Jewish Review by Community Newspapers, Inc., an arrangement crafted to provide financial stability while facilitating production with a small staff.

The paper’s publisher, the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, decided last year to bring the ad-sales function back in house as part of an effort to capture additional revenue and reduce the paper’s reliance on federation funding.

Halladay comes to the Review with more than 20 years experience in advertising sales and marketing. Most recently she operated her own direct-marketing business, Athena Direct Marketing, since 2004. Previously, she worked in sales in newspapers, Yellow Pages and direct mail.

Raised in Portland, Halladay has lived here most of her life. Her son, Joshua, 18, is a Portland Jewish Academy graduate who will graduate from Catlin Gabel in June.

She started in her new post on April 1, three months before the conclusion of the six-month transition period during which Community Newspapers continues as the primary sales representative for the paper.

The transition will be complete on June 30. Until then, Halladay is developing marketing strategies and a new media kit, meeting with current and potential advertisers and working with Jewish Review editorial staff, federation financial staff and representatives of Community Newspapers to facilitate the transition in every way possible.

Jewish Review Editor Paul Haist said, “Gail brings to this new post a high level of professionalism and a deep knowledge of our broad general community and our Jewish community.

“She arrived at the Jewish Review knowing what needed to be done and she went to work right away.”

In making the decision to take back the advertising sales function, the federation was mindful of its long and productive relationship with CNI.

“CNI served us well for many years. We became not only colleagues but friends,” said Haist.

The transition plan includes continuing to work with CNI in the printing and distribution of the paper.

Haist added that the decision to reclaim ad sales at the Review was based solely on the federation’s commitment to make best use of its resources.

“An analysis of the Review’s revenue potential suggested that it was time for us to bring this function back in house,” said Haist.

“I look forward to working with Gail Halladay, who brings considerable new energy to the Review office and additional confidence that we are on the right path.”

Halladay may be reached by phone at 503-892-7406, or by e-mail: gail@jewishreview.org.