Boulder, Colorado
October 29, 2018
Climbing Magazine, the longest-running title in the Climbing space (established 1970), is pleased to announce the hiring of Kevin Riley as Associate Publisher, effective November 14. The former Associate Publisher of both Climbing and Urban Climber under a previous owner, as well as under Climbing’s current owner, Active Interest Media (AIM Media), Riley brings a dozen years of experience in ad sales and in the outdoor industry to his role. A dedicated rock climber, guide, mountain runner, and podcast host—both his own Action in Solitude podcasts as well as Climbing’s newly launched Basecamp podcast—Riley has established himself as a knowledgeable, authoritative, passionate, and well-liked player in many corners of the outdoor industry.
“I’m very excited to be working with Kevin again,” says Matt Samet, editor of Climbing. “We had awesome synergy and rapport when we worked on the title together previously, and I’m stoked to have the opportunity to do so again. In the interim, Kevin and I remained close friends and frequent climbing partners. We work well together, both on the ground and above it, and I know we’ll do amazing things with the brand, from our print title to our website to online education and beyond.”
Says Riley, “To be part of the most-read climbing magazine during such an explosive evolution of the sport is a dream come true—like topping out El Capitan in the 1970s alongside the iconic Stonemasters. I’m eager to see Climbing—the voice of the sport—continue to bring our tribe together with authoritative, innovative content that entertains and educates all climbers. With the talented and creative editorial staff and the support of the industry, there’s no telling how high we can climb.”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Kevin back to the Climbing team here at AIM. The passion he has for both the sport and the brand is what we look for when building our teams, and I’m confident that passion will translate to stronger partnerships in the climbing industry and continued innovation from Climbing,” says Sharon Houghton, Managing Director of AIM’s Outdoor Group.
Concludes Riley, “I’m humbled and honored to part of the team at Climbing, and confident our hard work and determination will help grow the brand and the sport for the better.”
Kevin Riley Bio: Kevin Riley has been a rock-climbing and general-outdoor enthusiast since 1998, served as the associate publisher for Climbing and Urban Climber magazines, and co-founded the Denver-based nonprofit First Ascenders. He graduated from UMASS-Amherst with a degree in journalism and English. Currently, Riley hosts the Action in Solitude Podcast (actioninsolitude.com) and guides for Red Rock Climbing Guides. When he’s not scrambling in the Flatirons or trading leads on long, moderate trad routes, Riley enjoys trail running, playing music, and taking photos.
For more information, contact Sharon Houghton (shoughton@aimmedia.com).