Bonnie Fuller, the University of Toronto graduate who once edited Flare magazine and rose to become executive vice-president and editorial director of American Media Inc. in New York, has called it quits.
Fuller joined AMI in 2003 and earned an estimated annual salary of US$1.5 million, one of the highest in the industry.
Her resignation was effective Wednesday. Fuller will stay on, however, with AMI as editor-at-large of Star magazine, which she transformed from trashy tabloid to a comparatively up-market celebrity magazine. She will also serve as consultant to David Pecker, AMI’s chairman and chief executive.
“I am proud of the significant achievements of American Media’s celebrity and fitness brands over the past five years, and I am now ready for a new adventure,” Fuller said in a statement.
“The transformation of Star from a tabloid into a glossy magazine was unprecedented and has proven to be a great success. I am also proud of the redesigns of several other titles over the past few years. I have been fortunate to work with an exceptional group of talented editors and publishers, and am thrilled to continue my involvement with AMI.”
Fuller has a reputation as workaholic with a knack for attracting readers and clobbering the competition. Ad Age magazine has twice named her editor of the year.
“Bonnie Fuller has been an important part of a team that has overseen a range of extremely successful editorial initiatives over the past five years,” said Pecker. “I am pleased that we will continue to benefit from her journalistic contributions.”
