Brian Jewell has been named CEO and executive editor of Pioneer Publishing Inc., the parent company of Small Market Meetings, effective January 1. Jewell is a longtime employee of the company and has served as its vice president and editor since 2020. The company has owned and published Small Market Meetings since creating it in 2000.
Pioneer Publishing also produces custom publications for clients, operates OnSite familiarization tours for meeting planners and creates extensive digital content for many meetings industry clients.
“Brian is the right person to assume the top management role in our company at this exciting time for its future,” said co-founder and partner Mac Lacy. “Brian is an accomplished journalist and editor, has a keen understanding of business principles and is one of the brightest minds in this industry. We’re fortunate to have him accept this position.”
“Brian brings a wealth of institutional knowledge of the company, where he started 22 years ago as a writer and worked his way up the ranks,” said Herb Sparrow, co-founder and partner with Lacy. “He has been a key contributor to the company’s success over that time, especially in the growth of Small Market Meetings’ digital products, its fastest-growing segment. He has become a well-known and respected figure in the meetings industry and will be a continued asset for Pioneer Publishing.”
“When I started out as a travel journalist in the early 2000s, I had no idea how deeply I would connect with the meetings industry,” Jewell said. “Meetings and events are among the most dynamic elements of today’s travel and hospitality business, and meeting planners are some of my favorite colleagues to spend time with. I’m excited to lead our team in the valuable work of connecting meeting professionals with smaller destinations and venues around the country.”
Lacy will remain active in the Lexington, Kentucky-based company as an owner. He leaves full-time work after 33 years as president of Pioneer Publishing Inc. Sparrow, as co-founder and owner, has been working part-time for the past 13 years after a 40-year career in journalism, public service and magazine editing, and he will continue his involvement in the company’s financial management.
