Utility Business Media

What Utility Business Media does

Utility Business Media, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned B2B media and professional education company founded in 2004 by Carla Housh in Crystal Lake, Illinois, serving the utility safety, operations leadership, and utility fleet verticals across the United States. The company operates an integrated portfolio anchored by two bimonthly trade publications—Incident Prevention Magazine (iP), reaching 18,000+ utility safety professionals, and Utility Fleet Professional Magazine (UFP), reaching 7,000+ fleet professionals—and the Incident Prevention Institute (iPi) online education platform, which delivers 120+ hours of video content across 60+ courses designed to earn points toward the Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP) credential. Adjacent products include the annual iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo, the Frontline Utility Leadership training program (with customizable branding), the Assess My Team behavioral assessment platform, and the Utility Safety & Operations Leadership Network (USOLN), a 501c6 association with 700+ members that administers the CUSP certification.

The business operates six revenue streams spanning subscriptions, event registrations, course fees, certification charges, association memberships, and advertising/sponsorship across newsletters and podcasts. Go-to-market is sales-led, event-driven, and community-led: the company reaches utility professionals through direct B2B subscription sales, the annual conference, the USOLN membership community, and an owned-media stack of three monthly e-newsletters (Tailgate Topics, iP Utility Safety Products & Services, Utility Fleet Insider) and six podcast series hosted by credentialed utility safety practitioners. Customer segments include investor-owned electric utilities, power generation operators, electric and gas utilities, municipalities, government entities, communication providers, and utility contractors, with no disclosed enterprise customer concentration.

The company maintains 11-50 employees, has remained under consistent Housh family ownership with no disclosed external funding, and holds a Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification. In 2012 the company rebranded from Incident Prevention Inc. to Utility Business Media Inc. to reflect its expanded scope beyond safety-only content, and founder Carla Housh has transitioned to an Emeritus CEO role while her daughters Carlyn Housh (CEO) and Melissa Housh (COO) lead current operations.

Name

Utility Business Media

Legal name

Utility Business Media, Inc.

Website

https://utilitybusinessmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Utility Industry Media and Safety Education

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Certification & Training Content Publishing (Exam Prep, CE/CPD) (MPAJACAL)

Keywords

• Utility safety publications
• Safety training education
• Utility industry conferences
• Professional certification programs
• Utility fleet management

Headquarters

HQ city

Crystal Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Magazine Publications: Bimonthly publications including Incident Prevention (iP) Magazine reaching 18,000+ utility safety professionals and Utility Fleet Professional (UFP) Magazine reaching 7,000+ utility fleet professionals. Revenue from subscriptions and advertising.
2. Events and Conferences: Production of iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo, an annual 3-day event with 30+ industry expert sessions. Revenue from attendee registrations, exhibitor fees, and sponsor partnerships.
3. Online Education and Training: iPi Online platform offering premium courses, CUSP certification exam preparation, and professional development content. Revenue from course fees and certification charges.
4. Association Management: Association management services for USOLN (Utility Safety & Operations Leadership Network), a 501c6 corporation with 700+ members. Revenue from membership fees and certification program administration.
5. E-Newsletters: Monthly e-newsletters including Tailgate Topics, iP Utility Safety Products & Services, and Utility Fleet Insider. Revenue from subscriptions and advertising.
6. Podcast and Multimedia Content: Multiple podcast series including Safety By Design, Voice of Experience, Utility Safety in Depth, Built In Not Bolted On, and Tailgate Topics. Revenue from audience engagement and potential sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Utility Business Media is a specialized B2B media and education company that produces utility safety and operations content through two bimonthly magazines (Incident Prevention and Utility Fleet Professional), the iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo, and the iPi online learning platform offering 120+ hours of video and 60+ courses. The company administers the CUSP professional certification through the USOLN association and delivers customized Frontline Utility Leadership training and Assess My Team behavioral assessments to utility organizations.

Product overview

Utility Business Media is a multi-faceted media and education organization serving the utility industry with a portfolio of publications, education platforms, events, and professional certifications. The company operates a platform-plus-products architecture centered on its two flagship publications—Incident Prevention Magazine and Utility Fleet Professional Magazine—supported by the Incident Prevention Institute (iPi) online learning platform offering 120+ hours of video courses and CUSP certification preparation. The Frontline Utility Leadership Education program provides interactive classroom and e-learning training, while Assess My Team delivers behavioral and motivational assessments. The company produces the annual iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo and manages the Utility Safety & Operations Leadership Network (USOLN) association along with its CUSP certification program. Multiple e-newsletters (Tailgate Topics, Utility Safety Products & Services, Utility Fleet Insider) and podcasts extend the content reach across utility safety and fleet operations audiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Incident Prevention Magazine (iP): Bi-monthly magazine dedicated to utility safety and operations for utilities, contractors and communication providers
• Utility Fleet Professional Magazine (UFP)
• iP Institute
• iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo
• Frontline Utility Leadership
• Assess My Team
• CUSP Certification

Products and services

• Incident Prevention Magazine (iP) Bi-monthly B2B magazine containing utility safety and operations articles written by industry experts for utilities, contractors and communication providers, reaching 18,000+ utility safety and operations professionals.
• Utility Fleet Professional Magazine (UFP) Leading B2B publication dedicated to the unique informational needs of utility fleet, utility contractor fleet, equipment and maintenance managers, reaching 7,000+ utility fleet professionals.
• iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ utility safety professionals reached through iP magazine
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vector Solutions: Large-scale online training and compliance platform serving safety-critical industries including utilities. Comparable as a competitor in utility safety e-learning and certification maintenance, though at much greater scale and broader industry reach.
• Endeavor Business Media: Large U.S. B2B trade media company owning many vertical titles across utilities, safety, and industrial markets. Directly comparable as a multi-title vertical publisher, though Endeavor operates at vastly greater scale and across many non-utility verticals.
• National Safety Council: Long-established safety training, certification, and advocacy organization. Comparable as a credentialing and training authority, though NSC is broader than UBM's utility-only specialization and operates as a non-profit.

Emerging players

• SET Solutions: Electric power safety consulting firm whose president (Pam Tompkins, CUSP/CSP) hosts a podcast on Utility Business Media's network. Comparable as a utility safety training and consulting provider overlapping the same buyer and credential ecosystem.
• e-Hazard: Electrical safety training company offering courses and certifications for utility and industrial workers. Comparable as a focused training provider competing in the same utility electrical-safety certification space.

Direct peers

• T&D World (via Endeavor): Leading trade publication serving electric transmission and distribution professionals, covering the same utility safety and operations workforce that Utility Business Media targets. Closely comparable in audience, content format (magazine + digital + events), and B2B monetization model.
• American Public Power Association (APPA): Industry association for municipal utilities offering training, certification, and publications. Comparable as a service organization providing education and credentials to the same utility buyer base, with overlap on safety training programs.
• Energy Central: Online community and content platform serving utility industry professionals. Comparable in offering news, analysis, and community engagement to utility decision-makers, with overlapping advertising and sponsorship monetization.
• POWER Magazine: Long-running trade media brand covering power generation. Comparable as a vertical media outlet serving utility professionals through magazines, digital content, and conferences, though focused more on generation than safety/operations.
• Utility Products: Trade publication and media brand covering utility products, equipment, and operations. Comparable in serving utility fleet and operations buyers with magazine/digital content and adjacent product showcases.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2589221

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Utility Business Media