Hanley Wood Acquires B2B Publisher Alexander & Edwards ? Enhances Current Portfolio of Multifamily Housing Publications and Conferences

(PRWEB) May 1, 2006 -- Hanley Wood, the premier media company serving the housing and construction markets, has announced the acquisition of Alexander & Edwards Publishing, Inc. Privately held, San Francisco-based Alexander & Edwards is a leading publisher in the housing finance market with its magazines, Affordable Housing Finance and Apartment Finance Today, in addition to two accompanying industry conferences associated with those magazines. AdMedia Partners, (http://www.AdmediaPartners.com), a boutique investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions advisory services to the advertising and marketing, media, and related online and information services businesses, represented Alexander & Edwards in the acquisition.

“The Alexander & Edwards transaction reflects the strength of the current B2B M&A marketplace,” says Rob Garrett, Managing Director of AdMedia Partners, and the lead investment banker who advised Alexander & Edwards on the transaction. “The robust and active market we saw in 2005 is continuing into 2006 as strategic and financial players continue to make significant investments.” Strategic players like CMP Media and M/C Communications have been active in 2006 as well as 1105 Media, a company backed by Alta Communications and Nautic Partners. 1105 Media acquired 101 Communications as well as Stevens Publishing to launch a new B2B platform company.

The official Alexander & Edwards release reads:

Hanley Wood has acquired the assets of San Francisco-based Alexander & Edwards Publishing, Inc. Privately held, the company is a premier publisher in the housing finance market. The purchase includes two magazines (APARTMENT FINANCE TODAY and AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE) and two industry conferences associated with those magazines.

Founded and led by Andre Shashaty, Alexander & Edwards' publications and conferences provide mission critical information for navigating complex questions on development and financing of multifamily housing, affordable housing and community development, and public policy on housing and urban affairs.

"This is a critical acquisition for us," says Peter Goldstone, president of Hanley Wood Magazines. "These prestigious media properties connect an important audience of multifamily developers, owners, government housing officials and other real estate professionals to the financial services firms looking for lending and investment opportunities. The APARTMENT FINANCE TODAY and AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE properties will allow us to expand our current portfolio of multifamily publications and conferences into the financial and affordable sectors of the industry."

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE, launched in 1993, is a must-read news monthly for developers and financiers involved in the development of government subsidized apartment buildings and related community and economic development ventures. AHF Live!: The Tax Credit Developers Summit launched in 2004, and attracts over 300 attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. In 1997, Shashaty launched APARTMENT FINANCE TODAY serving those who own and develop market rate apartments. The companion conference, AFT Developer's Conference, was held for the first time in March 2005 and attracted over 200 attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.

"We believe that Hanley Wood will be the best home for our magazines and conferences," says Andre Shashaty, who is sole owner of Alexander & Edwards. Shashaty will remain with Hanley Wood as Editor-in-Chief of both magazines and Chairman of the conferences.

The publications and conferences will join Hanley Wood under the direction of Warren P. Nesbitt, group publisher. Other magazines in the group include BUILDER, BIG BUILDER, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPER and MULTIFAMILY EXECUTIVE.

"These magazines serve important markets and will round out our media portfolio in the residential construction market," says Nesbitt.

About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through five operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America's leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Magazines (Washington, D.C.), publishes 26 award-winning residential and commercial construction titles, including BUILDER, REMODELING, CUSTOM HOME, CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION and RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT. In 2004, Builder was named to B-to-B magazine's Media Power 50. For consumers, Hanley Wood Magazines publishes shelter magazines and home plans titles along with home plans web sites.

Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $240 million company owned by JPMorgan Partners, LLC, a private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Contact:
Ann Seltz
Vice President, Marketing
Hanley Wood Magazines
Phone: 202-736-3414

About AdMedia Partners
AdMedia Partners (http://www.AdMediaPartners.com) is a leading boutique investment bank that provides middle market mergers and acquisitions advisory services to advertising and marketing services, media and publishing, and related internet businesses. Founded in 1990 and located in New York City, the firm has completed over 100 transactions since 1999.

Notable recent transactions completed by AdMedia Partners include, but are not limited to:

* Representing Medical Broadcasting Company, the largest independent interactive healthcare agency, in its acquisition by Digitas Inc.

* Representing Capitol Color Mail, Inc., the largest volume direct mail coupon magazine publisher in America, in its restructuring, with financing from Quad/Graphics., Inc.

* Representing Bridge Worldwide, an interactive relationship marketing agency, in its acquisition by Wunderman, a unit of WPP Group.

* Representing Linda Ligon, owner of Natural Home & Garden magazine, in the sale of the magazine to Ogden Publications.

* Representing Federalist Group, a Washington, DC based government relations firm, in its acquisition by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, a unit of WPP Group.

* Representing Grupo Editorial Expansión, Mexico’s second largest magazine publisher, in its acquisition by Time Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner.

* Representing Gruner+Jahr USA in its sale of Inc. magazine and Fast Company magazines to Mansueto Ventures LLC.

* Representing Dynamic Logic, the leading independent marketing research company, in its acquisition by Millward Brown, a unit of WPP Group.

Contact:
Rob Garrett
Managing Director
AdMedia Partners
444 Madison Ave., 19th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-759-1870