We use this space each month to tell you a bit about the articles in the pages ahead as well as about the people who made them possible. We’ve introduced you to writers, editors, photographers, and designers. But that leaves out someone without whom all this hard work would be for naught.

For nearly 11 years, Cassie Noyes, our audience development director, has been the person responsible for making sure this magazine actually ends up in your hands. At the most basic level, that means getting each issue to newsstands and subscribers’ mailboxes. That’s no small task: 5280 is sold on more than 700 newsstands throughout Colorado and mailed each month to nearly 50,000 subscribers. But an even bigger part of her job is finding new readers and growing our overall audience. On both of those fronts, Noyes is an absolute superstar.

5280 October 2012
More From The Issue

It’s no secret that these have been tough times for traditional media, thanks to the double whammy of a declining economy and the rise of digital media. Even so, 5280’s readership continues to expand. In the first six months of this year, at a time when most magazines have seen shrinking demand, 5280’s newsstand sales have increased by an amazing 15 percent (compared with the same period in 2011). Our paid subscriber growth has been even more impressive, never once dipping during the recession and growing by nearly 16 percent in the past two years. And that’s no recent fluke. Over the past decade, 5280’s total paid circulation has nearly tripled. Today, we’re proud to have higher market penetration than any other big-city magazine in America.

Noyes has accomplished all of this with an incredible attention to detail and an even greater amount of patience. In addition to fielding complaints from subscribers whose magazines have arrived late, she also has to work with a team of outside auditors regularly looking over her shoulder to ensure we’re actually delivering the number of readers we’ve promised to our advertisers (believe it or not, we’re the only magazine in town that independently verifies its circulation). We’re fortunate at 5280 to work with a lot of high-profile talent. Cassie Noyes is our secret weapon.

This article was originally published in 5280 October 2012.
Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan is the founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of 5280 Publishing, Inc.