We’re having a party and you’re invited to celebrate with us! That’s right: Our hometown magazine is turning 5 this month, thanks to our dedicated Publisher Bob Blaisse, who had a vision of Bringing People Together in our hometown. Personally, I am proud to have served as your Content Coordinator for the past three years and am excited to take a look back at how it all began, what we have accomplished over the years and what’s next as we continue on this journey together.
Today Best Version Media (BVM) is one of the fastest growing print and digital media companies in the U.S., delivering local feature content and local advertising and branding of local businesses with local communities all across North America. With more than 1,200 monthly hometown publications (like our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors,) and managed Google and Facebook ad campaigns delivered into the same zip codes important to our magazine Sponsors, our publishing team is bringing businesses together with buyers while providing local features of interest about people and places in our community both in print and online at at www.NewtownSquareMag.com. And now, with BVM’s recently launched sports web portal, for local sports – Pee-wee to Pro, discovery of our wider community’s local sports stories, also sponsored by our local businesses, can be found daily at www.BVMSports.com.
BVM was launched in 2007 by co-founders Dave Durand, Pete Ericksen and Paul Lubinski. The trio developed a handful of magazines in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area before expanding BVM in 2012. In 2018 our magazine publisher, Bob Blaisse, was then managing another publishing company when he and Dave Durand became acquainted. At that time Durand recruited Bob to join BVM to become Division Manager for Eastern PA. But while doing so, Durand offered wise advice that Bob would be better equipped to manage BVM’s Publishers in Eastern PA if Bob himself had the experience of launching a BVM magazine. And that’s how the Newtown Square community came to find the first August 2018 issues of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors arriving in the mail, and also why a new issue has followed every month since.
Bob Blaisse and his wife Jean, who is employed by the Marple Newtown School District, came to live in our community after arriving home from their honeymoon in 1994. When asked what led her husband to take on the role of hometown Publisher, Jean Blaisse recalled how she and Bob have lived in the Marple Newtown community their whole married life and raised their four sons here while participating in school and sport teams, Boy Scouts and contributing volunteer service through many local organizations. “Our home is this community, and when Bob and I saw similar BVM magazines serving other communities in the country, we knew we wanted the same for our Marple Newtown and Edgmont friends and neighbors,” Jean said.
When our hometown Publisher was asked to sum up his experience of the past five years, Bob responded with the same three words that serve as our magazine’s mission and motto: “Bringing People Together.” And then Bob told his staff what we already believed: “The last sixty issues of our magazines have our own unique brand of social media in print that displays the common interests of our friends and neighbors – pride in our local community.”
Hometown pride is important to me as the Content Coordinator for Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors. I have been writing for the magazine for three years now, but I am a lifelong Newtown Square resident and a Newtown Square business owner for the past 20 years. I take great pride in our community and enjoy sharing exciting news and highlighting people who make a difference in our neighborhood.
For another view, I asked my magazine staff colleague, Holly Stupak, the Content Coordinator for our sister publication, Marple Friends & Neighbors, to share her thoughts. Holly said, “I’ve lived in Broomall for more than 20 years. What I love most about my role as Content Coordinator is that it has made me feel more connected to this community and the people around me. Interviewing people here with such diverse backgrounds has been a huge perk.”
The success of our hometown magazines takes a team of dedicated individuals who all share the same mission. Executive Assistant to the Publisher, Lisa Jeffries joined just over two years ago. “Bob felt I’d make a good addition to the team. That was one of the luckiest days of my life,” she said. “I love working with this incredible team of talented and dedicated professionals. I also really enjoy working with our Sponsors and Expert Contributors and learning about their amazing stories and wonderful contributions to our community.”
Not only do our readers enjoy a variety of feature stories and valuable content from our Experts, they always have wonderful things to say about the look of our magazines. That is thanks to our Designer, Kim Cesati. Kim said, “It’s been great working with this whole team for the past five years, they make my job easy and enjoyable. I look forward to learning about our Experts every month but I really enjoy reading Doug Humes’ history articles.”
Bob and Jean Blaisse want to thank all their friends and neighbors for the many compliments about the magazine over the past five years. And thank their local magazine staff and contributors of all the feature articles and photos that have now been published in the first sixty issues. But as Bob, Jean and our magazine staff always respond to any kind words about our publications, the credit for Bringing People Together in the hearts and homes of over 12,000 homeowners now for five years, must always first go to our hometown Sponsors.
“With so many big business and online retailers available, these magazines remind us about the wonderful things our community has to offer and how we need to work together and support our fellow neighbors and local businesses.” -Ray Magness of Scott’s Fireplace Products
Sponsors Scott and Ray Magness of Scott’s Fireplace Products understand the importance of our mission. “Supporting our community has always been important to us,” Ray explained. “With so many big business and online retailers available, these magazines remind us about the wonderful things our community has to offer and how we need to work together and support our fellow neighbors and local businesses.” Jack Del Pizzo of Del Pizzo and Associates shares the same sentiment. He said, “Being part of the magazine’s mission is a privilege that enables us to actively foster connections, promote a sense of togetherness, and ultimately contribute to a thriving community.”
Our free monthly publication is made possible only by the funding from our advertising Sponsors whose decision to advertise in our hometown magazine reveals to us just how important Newtown Square residents are to the success of that business. We rightfully show our gratitude to our Sponsors by showing our returned loyalty to them, in the way we choose to do business with them first.
“Since becoming a Sponsor, I have discovered that there is inherent value in this magazine, and the readers very much appreciate the information that I have been able to share.” -Mark Reitz, PT from Penn Therapy Associates
Mark Reitz, PT from Penn Therapy Associates is another Sponsor who appreciates the opportunity to connect with our community. “When Bob first approached me about participating in the Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine, I was a bit skeptical,” he said. “Since becoming a Sponsor, I have discovered that there is inherent value in this magazine, and the readers very much appreciate the information that I have been able to share.”
“The magazine truly has a neighborhood feel. I’m a part of the community myself and often know the featured families. It’s no surprise the magazine is celebrating its 5th year and going strong.” -Rick Bondurant of R.F. Bondurant Plumbing
David Linn Cook, our weatherization expert for nearly four years, has doubled his firm’s expertise by joining with Weatherproofing One’s owner, Joe Soster, as our Sponsor and Expert Contributors. Dave is also a Marple Newtown resident who said that he and his family enjoy receiving our Friends & Neighbors magazine each month, to read about people around town. Fellow community member and Sponsor Rick Bondurant of R.F. Bondurant Plumbing said, “The magazine truly has a neighborhood feel. I’m a part of the community myself and often know the featured families. It’s no surprise the magazine is celebrating its 5th year and going strong.”
“It has been wonderful being part of the magazine’s mission. The entire staff is great to work with, professional, personable and caring. They coordinate with us in an effort to bring practical and helpful information to the readers and their community. I enjoy reading the other Expert’s articles and patiently await each month’s magazine.” -Family Law Trial Attorney, Deborah M. Truscello
Our Expert Contributor articles offer valuable insight and advice on a wide range of topics. Our Expert Family Law Trial Attorney, Deborah M. Truscello said, “It has been wonderful being part of the magazine’s mission. The entire staff is great to work with, professional, personable and caring. They coordinate with us in an effort to bring practical and helpful information to the readers and their community. I enjoy reading the other Expert’s articles and patiently await each month’s magazine.”
“I’ve found extra value in the feature articles by the various Experts, because even though I may not have need of their services at that particular time, their wisdom is always worthwhile.” -Steve Mostardi of Mostardi’s Nursery
Steve Mostardi of Mostardi’s Nursery always enjoys sharing information on how to make gardens and plants as beautiful, and as healthy, as they can be, but he also appreciates the advice of his fellow Experts. “I’ve found extra value in the feature articles by the various Experts, because even though I may not have need of their services at that particular time, their wisdom is always worthwhile.”
In addition to featuring our Sponsors and Expert Contributors, Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors also takes great pride in spotlighting local families, individuals, entrepreneurs, authors and volunteers. We love to hear from you about how much you enjoy our cover stories and features. We enjoy sharing them with you just as much as you love to read them. Every month, you’ll also find local events and the latest news on what’s happening around Newtown Square.
For the Thiruselvam family, being featured in our February 2021 issue was fun. Gira, David and the kids were excited to see their story in print. “We thought we were boring,” Gira laughed, “until we read the article that proved our lives are a lot more interesting than we had considered.” Gira said they really enjoy reading the magazine each month. “We are friends with a few of the families who have been on the cover, but we love getting to know more about other families in our wonderful community,” she said. If you recall their story, the Thiruselvums love to travel the world, and in the past two years, have taken trips to Turkey, Greece, Africa and England!
Over the years, we have introduced you to H. Eugene Vickers, who was a WWII Navy Lieutenant and a resident of Newtown Square for 67 years. He was featured in our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine several times as a centenarian with his birthday falling on Veteran’s Day, November 11 and he was featured on the cover of the magazine in November 2019 to celebrate his 104th birthday. His daughter Barbara said, “We are grateful for the acknowledgment of my father from the community, who supported him at the local Veteran’s Day parades and the celebration of his birthdays with hundreds of cards sent in the mail before his passing in July of 2022 at age 106.”
And one of our standout Newtown Edgmont Little League players has been busy making some major-league moves since he was featured in our September 2021 issue. At the time, Chris Newell was making news as a standout baseball player at the University of Virginia whose team made it all the way to the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
When we asked Chris to give some advice for the younger generation of ballplayers who dream of making it to the big leagues he said, “Growing up, I wasn’t the best player on my team, but I worked hard to become one. Study the game, listen to your coaches and stay hungry.”
Chris’ advice is proof that childhood dreams can come true if you put in the work because in 2022, Chris was drafted by the L.A. Dodgers organization. He packed his bags and headed to Arizona to play Low A for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. His success on the field continued and after just a short time, was brought up to Hi A where he is playing for the Great Lakes Loons. There is no doubt that Chris has a bright future because luck didn’t get him to where he is today – hard work did.
So, what lies ahead for our hometown magazine? As we move into our sixth year of fulfilling our Bringing People Together mission, we look forward to sharing more of your stories so please keep the nominations coming. We also are excited to offer you more Expert content and feature families, individuals and organizations that are making a difference in our community. On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your kind words, appreciation and support of our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine. Cheers to 5 Years!
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.