Scene/Nfocus Publisher Mike Smith Stepping Down in October, Founding New Company

Mike Smith, publisher of the Nashville Scene and a part of the paper for 18 years, will be leaving his post in October. Chris Ferrell, CEO of the Scene's parent company SouthComm, made the formal announcement today after Smith told staff at a meeting two weeks ago.

Smith will stay through publication of the Scene's Best of Nashville issue Oct. 8. After that, he is leaving to launch Conjure, LLC, a new sponsorship and promotions agency. The Nashville-based company will help clients obtain sponsorship sources while developing "buzz-generating promotions and strong event-related engagement," according to Conjure's press release.

“Mike has helped lead the Nashville market during a period of dynamic change," Ferrell said in a statement. “I want to thank him for his 18 years of service and look forward to SouthComm being Mike’s first client in his new venture.”

An Arkansas native active in the city's arts and fashion scene, Smith joined the Scene's sales staff in 1997. In 2007, he was named publisher and has overseen the largest issues in the publication's history. He is also stepping down as publisher of the Scene's sister publication Nfocus. His successor has not been announced.

"It's been a real honor to be the steward of these publications over the years and I want to thank all of the readers, advertisers and community supporters during my time with the Nashville Scene and Nfocus," Smith said in a prepared statement. "I worked with many talented and committed people during my tenure at SouthComm and we have enjoyed great success in producing critical and award-winning publications. We've also seen unprecedented growth in revenue from events and our digital offerings continue to grow in a dynamic way. I expect continued great things from that team for years to come."

Below, the full release.

SouthComm announces departure of Nashville Scene and Nfocus publisher Mike Smith

Nashville, Tenn. (Sept. 3, 2015) — Chris Ferrell, CEO of Nashville-based media company SouthComm, announced today that Mike Smith will be stepping down as publisher of the Nashville Scene and Nfocus in order to start Conjure, a new sponsorship and promotions agency.

Smith will continue his publisher duties until October 9 and continue to consult with SouthComm on further sponsorship development for their more than 40 events held annually. “Mike has helped lead the Nashville market during a period of dynamic change, “said SouthComm CEO Chris Ferrell. “I want to thank him for his 18 years of service and look forward to SouthComm being Mike’s first client in his new venture.”

"It's been a real honor to be the steward of these publications over the years and I want to thank all of the readers, advertisers and community supporters during my time with the Nashville Scene and Nfocus," said Smith. "I worked with many talented and committed people during my tenure at SouthComm and we have enjoyed great success in producing critical and award-winning publications. We've also seen unprecedented growth in revenue from events and our digital offerings continue to grow in a dynamic way. I expect continued great things from that team for years to come."

ABOUT SOUTHCOMM, INC.
SouthComm was formed in late 2007. The company is the nation’s second largest publisher of alternative weeklies, one of the largest publishing companies serving chambers of commerce, and a significant player in the B2B publishing world. The Nashville-based company now owns more than 30 titles targeting B2B and consumer audiences around the country. The company has offices in Nashville, Fort Atkinson, WI, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Louisville, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Tampa, Arlington Heights, IL, and Florence, KY. For more information, visit southComm.com.