Publisher Bids Farewell to Business Journal

Longtime San Fernando Valley Business Journal President and Publisher Pegi Matsuda stepped down from her post May 18, after nearly 13 years at the helm of the biweekly business publication. Associate Publisher Josh Schimmels, who also serves as associate publisher of the Los Angeles Business Journal, now oversees the publication. Both newspapers are owned by the California Business Journals. Matsuda is joining Valley Presbyterian Hospital in June as senior vice president of community and market development. She served on the hospital’s board for many years. In her new role, she will be creating, implementing and managing community reinvestment programs and outreach, while also working on traditional marketing, advertising and employee involvement programs. Matsuda has been instrumental in building the San Fernando Valley Business Journal since joining the newspaper in December 1999. She said she is proud of how far the publication has come in that time. When she assumed the post, the newspaper had five employees and 40 advertisers. Today, the paper has 500 advertisers while circulation has held steady through a wrenching time, not only in the general business community but print publications, in particular. Matsuda said she’s confident in the team she has assembled to take the publication forward. “I’m leaving the paper in really good hands,” Matsuda said. “This paper provides a really important service to the local business community,” she added. “We keep business up-to-date through our news products. We give advertisers access to their absolute target markets. We’re engaged, we’re active and we’re involved. My hope is that the paper continues to grow and be a vital part of the business community.” A familiar face in the Valley business community, Matsuda has served on numerous committees and boards including those of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, the Valley Economic Development Corp., Valley Presbyterian Hospital and Woodbury University. Before joining the newspaper, she had a 20-year career in sales, marketing, advertising and community affairs with companies such as GTE Telephone Operations and Sempra Energy. Schimmels has more than 13 years of experience in business publishing. He worked alongside Matsuda for five years, growing the San Fernando Valley paper’s advertising department in its early years. After that, he spent six years in the Phoenix area managing a magazine group of six publications including Arizona Business Magazine. He has worked at the Los Angeles Business Journal since January 2010 with responsibilities for print and digital advertising and strategic planning. He is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the same university. “I’m looking forward to continuing the high standards of excellence that Pegi has established at the Business Journal,” Schimmels said. “For the past 12 years, Pegi has served as an amazing mentor, friend and colleague for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect. I’m looking forward to finding new ways to grow the paper, build off of her great successes and get involved in the Valley business community.” Los Angeles Business Journal CEO and Publisher Matthew A. Toledo, who also serves as group publisher for California Business Journals, credited the paper’s success to Matsuda’s dedication and commitment in the past 13 years. “I’ll miss her and our team in the Valley will miss her, but the community does not have to miss her because of her ongoing work at Valley Presbyterian,” Toledo said. Toledo said he is certain that between Editor Jaclyn Giovis, Director of Advertising Jamie Chien and Schimmels, the paper will continue to thrive. “I am extremely confident they will carry the newspaper forward and continue to maintain high standards of journalism and also make sure the paper succeeds commercially,” Toledo said.