Sunni Boot, CEO of ZenithOptimedia Canada, has been elected the new chairman of the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).
Merle Davidson of JCPenney held the role for the past three years, and will continue to work with ABC by representing U.S. advertisers as a director.
Boot was previously chairman of the ABC Canada Board Committee, after joining the ABC board in 2008. Shelagh Stoneham, vice-president of brand and marketing communications at Rogers Communications, is replacing Boot as chairman of ABC Canada’s board committee.
During Davidson’s term as chairman of ABC’s board, ABC initiated the Consolidated Media Report—which provides an all-encompassing snapshot of a newspaper’s true audience and includes data from both print and digital distribution channels—this spring and also made major rule changes for U.S. newspapers.
His tenure also saw the launch of a new strategic plan that broadens the role of ABC in digital media. In a release, Boot said she looks forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead as ABC continues to strengthen its “leadership role in digital auditing and multimedia reporting.”
Several other board of director and officer elections resulted from ABC’s annual conference and board of directors meeting, which took place in San Francisco last week.
Members re-elected 22 directors to serve new terms on ABC’s board.
Three new representatives were also elected, including Ken Whyte, president of Rogers Publishing Limited, representing Canadian periodicals, the lone new Canadian.
Directors serving as vice-chairmen of ABC’s board for a term of one year are: Stoneham; David Leckey, American Media Inc.; Christina Meringolo, Merck Consumer Care; and Suzanne Silber, Optimedia.
The ABC board is a tripartite organization that provides verified circulation information used in the media buying and selling process. Its members represent magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies across North America.
It also audits websites and digital ad-based technology through ABC Interactive, ABC’s digital arm.
