Great American Media Services

What Great American Media Services does

Great American Media Services (legally Great American Publishing, Inc.) is a privately held B2B multimedia media company founded in 1960 and headquartered in Sparta, Michigan. The company operates a portfolio of 14 trade publication brands across three vertical markets: specialty agriculture and horticulture (Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News, Spudman, Greenhouse Product News, National Nut Grower, Organic Grower, Produce Processing, Cannabis Product News), specialty retail (Gift Shop Plus, Lawn & Garden Retailer, Stationery Trends), and sports (Coach & Athletic Director, Training & Conditioning, Tactical Training & Conditioning, Winning Hoops). It is owned and led by CEO Matt McCallum, with a leadership team spanning COO/CMO Kim Baker, CFO/HR Director Deb Carnes, and Group Publisher for Sports Brian Virgona, supported by an editorial, audience development, and creative organization of 11–50 employees.

The company monetizes primarily through print and digital advertising sales across its publication portfolio, paid subscriptions (print and digital editions), custom publishing and branded content services, event marketing (custom events, webinars, trade show sponsorships such as the partnership with The Garden Center Show), and digital marketing services (programmatic advertising, SEO, content creation, email marketing, social media management, video production, and design). Go-to-market is predominantly sales-led direct field sales to enterprise advertisers and agencies, complemented by a self-serve ad upload portal for mid-market clients and channel partnerships with industry associations and trade show organizers. Distribution is US-domestic across the three verticals.

GAMS does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure consists of standard digital marketing tooling including Google Analytics, programmatic ad platforms, email marketing automation (iContact, Mail Chimp), CRM systems, and survey tools, plus owned publication websites, e-newsletters, and event platforms. Recent strategic activity includes brand acquisitions (Gift Shop Magazine in 2014, Coach & Athletic Director and Winning Hoops in 2013), new publication launches (Organic Grower 2019, National Nut Grower 2020), and partnership-driven expansion into experiential commerce via the 2026 Great American Garden Party with Gardenuity, Scotts Miracle-Gro, and Bonnie Plants. The company has received multiple FOLIO Eddie & Ozzie Awards for editorial and design excellence (2019, 2022, 2025).

Name

Great American Media Services

Legal name

Great American Publishing, Inc.

Website

https://greatamericanmediaservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great American Media Services is a privately held B2B multimedia media company operating 14 trade publications across specialty agriculture/horticulture, specialty retail, and sports, monetizing via advertising, subscriptions, events, and digital marketing services to advertisers in those US verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Publishing & B2B Media Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio) (BPAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA), Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• B2B trade publications
• Specialty agriculture media
• Digital marketing services
• Custom publishing services
• Event marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sparta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: Core revenue stream from selling print and digital advertising placements across the company's portfolio of B2B trade publications serving agriculture, retail, and sports markets. Advertising options include print ads, digital edition ads, e-newsletter placements, website advertising, sponsored content, and exclusive e-blasts.
2. Subscriptions and Publication Sales: Revenue from paid subscriptions to trade publications including Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News, Spudman, Greenhouse Product News, and others across agriculture, retail, and sports verticals. Includes both print and digital edition subscriptions.
3. Custom Publishing and Content Services: Revenue from custom publishing services including custom magazines, branded content, surveys, industry research, and white papers produced for advertisers and partners seeking targeted industry audience engagement.
4. Event Marketing Services: Revenue from hosting and sponsoring in-person events, webinars, and virtual events for B2B audiences. Includes sponsorship opportunities, speaker slots, and attendee data access for sponsors.
5. Digital Marketing Services: Revenue from programmatic advertising, SEO services, content creation, email marketing, social media management, video production, and design services offered to advertisers and B2B clients seeking digital marketing solutions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Great American Media Services is a B2B multimedia marketing and publishing company that owns and operates 14 trade publications across specialty agriculture, specialty retail, and sports verticals, and sells advertising placements, custom publishing, lead generation, digital marketing services, and event sponsorships to advertisers and brands seeking access to those niche B2B audiences. Revenue is generated primarily through advertising sales and subscriptions on owned publications, augmented by fee-based custom content and marketing services.

Product overview

Great American Media Services is a B2B media, marketing, and events company operating a multi-brand portfolio across specialty agriculture/horticulture, specialty retail, and sports verticals. The core offering consists of 14 trade publications (Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News, Spudman, Produce Processing, Greenhouse Product News, Organic Grower, National Nut Grower, Gift Shop Plus, Lawn & Garden Retailer, Stationery Trends, Coach & Athletic Director, Training & Conditioning, Tactical Training & Conditioning, and Winning Hoops) complemented by marketing services including programmatic advertising, custom publishing, lead generation, digital marketing, and event marketing. The company also runs partnership programs like the Inspired to Gro garden collection with Gardenuity for experiential commerce initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Inspired to Gro: Garden collection brand featuring curated garden kits and growing solutions partnership with horticulture companies.

Products and services

• Fruit Growers News B2B trade publication (print and digital) covering fruit growing operations, industry news, and developments, distributed to commercial fruit growers.
• Vegetable Growers News B2B trade publication providing news and information for vegetable growing operations.
• Spudman B2B trade publication focused on potato growing, storage, and processing industry.
• Produce Processing B2B publication covering produce processing, handling, and distribution operations.
• Greenhouse Product News (GPN) B2B publication serving greenhouse producers with news and product information for horticulture operations.
• Organic Grower B2B publication serving organic farming operations with growing techniques and market information.
• National Nut Grower B2B publication covering the commercial nut growing industry including almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other tree nuts.
• Gift Shop Plus B2B publication serving the gift retail industry with product trends and business guidance for gift shop operators.
• Lawn & Garden Retailer B2B publication serving lawn and garden retail stores with product information and industry news.
• Stationery Trends B2B publication covering the stationery and paper products retail industry.
• Coach & Athletic Director B2B publication serving high school and college coaches and athletic directors with training and management guidance.
• Training & Conditioning B2B publication providing strength and conditioning information for sports coaches and athletic trainers.
• Tactical Training & Conditioning B2B publication exclusively serving military, law enforcement, fire departments, and first responders with physical and mental preparedness content.
• Winning Hoops B2B publication focused on basketball coaching with playbooks and strategies for coaches.
• Programmatic Advertising Automated digital advertising buying service allowing targeted placement across the company's digital network for B2B advertisers.
• Lead Nurture Pro Lead generation and nurturing service that helps advertisers develop and convert prospects through the sales funnel.
• Custom Magazines Custom publishing service creating branded print and digital magazine publications for B2B clients.
• Digital Marketing Services Comprehensive digital marketing offering including SEO audits, content creation, email marketing, design services, and video production for B2B advertisers.
• Event Marketing In-person and online event marketing services including custom events, sponsorship opportunities, and webinars with unlimited participants.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GardenuitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Great American Media partnered with Gardenuity to co-host the Great American Garden Party, a live virtual event on May 14th where participants nationwide plant together from their homes using curated garden kits shipped in advance. The partnership is part of America250 celebrations and connects media audiences with experiential gardening as a wellness activity.
• Bonnie PlantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Bonnie Plants sourced jalapeño pepper plants included in the Inspired to Gro garden collection kits shipped to Great American Garden Party participants, as part of the America Grows Garden kit collaboration.
• Scotts Miracle-GrocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026Scotts Miracle-Gro collaborated with Great American Media and Gardenuity on the limited-edition America Grows Garden kit, developed in partnership with Bonnie Plants, shipped to participants of the Great American Garden Party virtual event.
• The Garden Center ShowcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 January 2024The Garden Center Show and Lawn & Garden Retailer announced a strategic trade show partnership. GAMS publishes Lawn & Garden Retailer and this partnership provides co-marketing and audience development opportunities for the leading lawn and garden products industry event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meister Media Worldwide: Operates a portfolio of B2B trade magazines in specialty agriculture, horticulture, and crop production (e.g., Greenhouse Grower, American Vegetable Grower, Florida Grower). Closely comparable to GAMS's Specialty Agriculture & Horticulture vertical in audience, products, and advertising-led business model.
• Farm Journal: Multi-platform B2B agricultural media company producing magazines, broadcast, events, and data products for the ag industry. Comparable to GAMS in its ag trade publishing, events, and integrated marketing services model.
• BNP Media: B2B media company publishing 50+ trade magazines across multiple verticals including foodservice, industrial, and mechanical, with events and custom media services. Comparable to GAMS in multi-vertical trade publishing and integrated marketing services.
• EnsembleIQ: B2B media company serving retail, hospitality, and consumer goods verticals through publications, events, and data-driven intelligence. Comparable to GAMS in serving specialty retail buyers with integrated content, events, and audience development.
• Randall-Reilly: B2B media company operating trade publications, data, and marketing services for trucking, construction, and industrial markets. Comparable to GAMS as a privately held multi-vertical B2B trade publisher with marketing services.
• Active Interest Media: B2B and consumer media company publishing trade and enthusiast magazines across active-lifestyle markets. Comparable to GAMS in multi-vertical magazine publishing and integrated marketing services.
• North Coast Media: B2B media company serving specialty agriculture, horticulture, and retail with trade publications and custom media. Directly comparable to GAMS's specialty ag/horticulture publishing portfolio and advertiser offerings.
• Scranton Gillette Communications / SGC Horizon: B2B media company publishing trade magazines and producing events for construction, infrastructure, and related verticals. Comparable to GAMS as a multi-title B2B trade publisher with events and integrated marketing services.

Broad incumbents

• Informa Markets (Informa PLC): Global B2B media, events, and information services giant operating hundreds of trade brands across dozens of verticals. Comparable to GAMS as a multi-vertical B2B media operator, but with vastly greater scale, international reach, and capital.
• MultiView: B2B digital media company providing custom content marketing, lead generation, and media solutions across multiple verticals. Comparable to GAMS's digital marketing services, custom publishing, and Lead Nurture Pro offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatAmericanMedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-american-publishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great American Media Services