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Connect Business Magazine 10th Anniversary Special

By Daniel J. Vance

The first issue of Connect Magazine began ten years ago as a publication of Nicollet-based graphic design studio Concept & Design Incorporated. Publisher Jeff Irish began the first issue by saying, “Ideas are like pennies. There are millions in circulation, but only a few rare enough to be of any real worth. Connect Magazine is a “penny” that I have been kicking around for years...If we do our job well, the information contained within these pages will strengthen your local business connections and provide tangible benefits to your organization.”

The first printing was 600. Kutzwald Inc. and Micro-Trak Systems were the first companies profiled—and the first display advertisers were Southern Minnesota Office Machines, Jones Metal Products, Quick Print, AFLAC, Gallery 19, Corporate Graphics, Mankato Carton, Manpower, KEEZ-FM Z99, Mathes Printing, and HickoryTech. The first Classified advertisers were Flexible Plastics, Weber Engineering Associates, Courtland Industries, Mankato Corporation, Kutzwald, Door Engineering, and Jones Metal Products.

It started as a 20-page business monthly, and didn’t become a bimonthly until October 1995. The staff initially sold subscriptions, but within two years accelerated its reach and value to advertisers by becoming a free, controlled-circulation magazine. Editor and advertising director Angie Fredrickson held the magazine together.

The original team was:

Other team members joined later:

CONTINUE:

Thanks for the Memories - Cover interview reunion 1997-2003

Have We Featured You? - Complete company profile listing

 

[Free-lance writer Daniel J. Vance lives in rural Blue Earth County.]

© 2004 Connect Business Magazine. All Rights Reserved.