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GMStrategic is a custom publishing, advertising and business development group created and led by George M. Mihaiu of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr. Mihaiu specializes in matching the communications and publishing needs of professional, civic and trade associations with the marketing and advertising needs of constituent businesses through highly targeted, custom-designed communications programs, publications and promotional initiatives.
Among current projects, George serves as publisher for RIO VISTA! Magazine, the official newsletter and online communications program of the Rio Vista Civic Association, which represents the homeowners, residents and businesses of Rio Vista - one of the most demographically unique & desirable neighborhoods in all of Fort Lauderdale.
Mr. Mihaiu (pronounced Me-high) began his custom publishing career in 1993 as co-founder of Compass North America, Inc., and was selected by the American Association of Port Authorities as publisher of SEAPORTS OF THE AMERICAS, the AAPA's annual guide to the seaports and port industry of the western hemisphere. As publisher, George directed the program to tenfold growth over an 11-year period, repositioning and redesigning it from a basic AAPA membership list into today's prestigious SEAPORTS OF THE AMERICAS (250+ pgs.) authoritative and comprehensive annual guide to western hemisphere ports and adding to the program by introducing a quarterly editorial companion, AAPA SEAPORTS MAGAZINE, that has become the 'voice of the ports industry'. The publications now also generate significant royalty revenue to AAPA and are recognized as the leading port industry publications in the western hemisphere and reach the entire port world in print and online.
Shortly after being selected by AAPA in 1993, Compass was also selected by the Port of Los Angeles to become publisher of its flagship publication, THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES SHIPPING HANDBOOK, distributed worldwide as the port's annual marketing and public relations guide to the facilities, services and capabilities of the Port of Los Angeles. With the continuing growth and success of these initial projects, Compass added a number of new port clients over the years such as Port Everglades, Port of Miami, Port of Philadelphia & Camden, Port of Jacksonville, Georgia Ports Authority and the Port of Oakland, along with several major port services and equipment firms requiring ad agency services.
In May 2004, Commonwealth Business Media, Inc., a major trade and transportation publisher best known as publisher of THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, bought out Mr. Mihaiu and his Compass North America, Inc. port publishing business, retaining him as group publisher under a two-year transition contract to create and build CBM's SEAPORTS Publications Group custom publishing division. During his two years with CBM, Mr. Mihaiu tripled the new group's revenues from print and online projects and positioned the new SEAPORTS Publications group as the leading custom publisher in the port and maritime industry. In May 2006, despite several offers from CBM to remain with its SEAPORTS Group, Mr. Mihaiu elected to leave at the end of his two-year contract to take some well-deserved time off to spend with family and to eventually seek out new professional challenges through his latest group, GMStrategic.
Prior to founding Compass North America in 1993, his professional background included magazine advertising sales, Yellow Pages advertising sales and sales management experience with the specialty directory divisions of Southwestern Bell, Donnelley and NYNEX.
Originally from River Rouge, Michigan, near Detroit, George is a 1973 graduate of Michigan State University with a B.S. in Business Administration. He attended MSU on an NCAA Football scholarship where he played quarterback under legendary coach Duffy Daugherty, lettering in 1970, '71 & '72. He resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his wife, Ann, where his favorite activities include civic and political interests, swimming, reading and volunteer work.
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