AKRON (Nov. 12)—David E. Zielasko has been named publisher of Rubber & Plastics News, succeeding Robert S. Simmons, who also is group publisher of Crain Communication´s Inc´s Akron and London-based tire, rubber, polymer and waste publications.
Simmons will continue to oversee the financial areas of the publication in his role as group publisher. Zielasko also retains his current titles of editor and vice president/publisher of Tire Business, a sister publication of RPN.
"As RPN publisher, Dave will focus his efforts on the editorial side of the publication, working to make a strong editorial product even better," Simmons said. "We see a lot of synergy editorially between RPN and Tire Business and aim to take advantage of that under Dave´s direction."
A 20-year employee of Crain, Zielasko rejoins RPN, which was founded by his late father, Ernest H. Zielasko, in 1971. Ernie Zielasko, who served as RPN's first editor and publisher, sold the publication to Crain in 1976. He retained those titles while leading the company´s Akron and London-based tire and rubber publications until retiring in 1987.
David Zielasko, after several internships and a short full-time stint with RPN in the late 1970s, rejoined Crain full time in 1985 as chief copy editor of RPN. Several months later, he moved to Tire Business as assistant managing editor and shortly thereafter became managing editor. He replaced his father as editor of Tire Business in 1987 and added the title of publisher in 1998.
Zielasko was named vice president/publisher of Tire Business in 1999.
"This is an exciting opportunity for me and is especially an honor since I am rejoining the publication my father founded and loved," Zielasko said. "Like him, I have developed a great respect for the importance of rubber and what it has meant to society and am looking forward to helping RPN in its efforts to cover this great industry."