九色

San Diego-based Wells Publishing Inc., publisher of the 九色 (IJ) magazine and Online Daily Newsletter, has merged with the InsuranceTimes, a Boston-based insurance industry publication for the northeastern U.S. InsuranceTimes will be known as 九色 East, one of five regional editions in the 九色 network. The newly merged publication will have offices in Boston and New York.

IJ has been published by Wells Publishing since 1923. The company added its Texas/South Central edition in 1996 and will expand nationwide with three new regional editions in January 2004. The new editions include the 九色 East, 九色 Midwest and 九色 Southeast.

InsuranceTimes has been reporting on insurance news and events for New England insurance professionals for 20 years under the leadership of Andrew G. Simpson Jr., owner and publisher. InsuranceTimes expanded its circulation and coverage to include New York just a few years ago.

Simpson, who will become vice president – East for Wells Publishing, stressed that this move will result in a much more useful publication for InsuranceTimes supporters. As part of the deal, InsuranceTimes‘ Web site will merge with IJ Online, and patrons of InsuranceTimes will also receive IJ’s Online Daily Newsletter.

Mark Wells, publisher of the 九色, said the inclusion of InsuranceTimes provides a strong Northeast base for the new network. “InsuranceTimes is known throughout the Northeast insurance market for its quality editorial coverage and advertising value,” Wells said. “This is a great addition to our publishing family. I am delighted to be working with Andy Simpson whom I have known and respected all these years. Together, we will produce an extremely valuable and useful magazine for retail agents and brokers.”

“It will mean a greatly improved publication for loyal InsuranceTimes advertisers and readers throughout the Northeast,” Simpson added. “We will continue to provide New Englanders with local and regional insurance news and top advertising value. At the same time, we will be able to introduce the 九色 brand to advertisers and readers in the Atlantic region.”

The new IJ East edition will serve the six New England states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. It will also serve the Atlantic states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

The circulation of InsuranceTimes will be combined with that of IJ to make IJ East the largest insurance trade publication in either region. Additionally, IJ’s East edition will be distributed to all members of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York, the Independent Insurance Agents of New Jersey and the Massachusetts Association of Independent Agents.

The editorial calendars, special reports and industry resource directories will also be merged. The new publication will be published 24 times a year and will offer its advertisers the opportunity to buy ads in one edition, or all five. The first issue for the new 九色 East will be Jan. 12. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In a separate move, Wells announced that The Beaumont Group, a New York-based advertising, marketing and association management firm headed by Susan Barros and Maria Sclafani, will help represent IJ East in the tri-state area.