David Dusek ’93, Senior Managing Editor of golfonline.com
1. Current job title and place of employment:
Senior Managing Editor, golfonline.com (a division of Time4 Media and Time Inc.)
2. Briefly, what is it that you do?
Having recently transitioned from being an editor with Golf Magazine to our online division, I am now in charge of all editorial content for the largest golf Web site in the world. I edit the work of staff writers and freelancers, negotiate contracts, work with our marketing and sales teams and assist in strategic planning. I monitor who comes to our site, where they came from, what they see and finally, where they goes once their experience on golfonline is finished. I appear on television as a golf expert. I have appeared on CNN, ESPN, CBS, CNBC and Fox Sports to talk about breaking stories and what is happening at tournaments and events. In all, it’s challenging, but very exciting and a lot of fun.
3. What, if any, obstacles did you face trying to get your first job in
this field?
I was very lucky and did not enter the world of magazine journalism in a traditional way. After graduating from St. Lawrence in 1993 with a degree in English Literature, I worked as a tennis instructor in Vermont , New York and Florida . One of my clients had a family member who was involved in starting-up a tennis magazine for people living in Connecticut , and he suggested I contact her to talk about helping with promotional events. Before I knew it, I was being offered a job as a writer, interviewer and photographer. Sure, the job was regional, but it was a great way to learn every aspect of the business and get introduced to other people within the industry. After about two years, I was asked to join the staff of Tennis magazine as their instruction and equipment editor and my career has been cooking ever since.
4. What advice would you give to students interested in working in your field?
Don’t follow my example. Seriously, if you want to be involved in magazine writing and editing, or online editorial, leave your ego in Canton and be willing to call anyone, write about anything, develop ideas every day, and, unfortunately, make relatively little money for the first year or two of your career. It’s almost like an apprenticeship: everyone has to master certain basic skills before you can advance to the next, more-meaningful and fulfilling step. But if you can stick it out, it’s a great way to make a living.
5. What are some of the activities you were involved in while at SLU?
I was a member of the tennis team while at St. Lawrence and played for Margie Strait , who is now the athletic director of the school. She was a terrific coach and I am happy to say that we are very good friends. I was not in a house and while I went on a few Peak Weekend hikes, sadly I have to admit that I was not a member of any clubs or groups.
Tennis, books and plenty of fun took up most of my time year round.
6. How can students best prepare themselves while at SLU?
Read absolutely everything you can get your hands on, especially any magazines and newspapers that you might want to contact after graduating. Read at least one national newspaper (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, etc.) every day. And don’t be shy when it comes to networking and letting people know what you want to do after graduation. Honestly, most cherry jobs
February 16, 2007
d in the classifieds or on job boards. They are filled by people who know and are willing to say, “Hey, I know a person who would be great for this.” If you are going to depend on answering classifieds to find a job that you’ll love, you are going to be unemployed for a long time.
7. In retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently
with regard to your career?
I would have taken more courses related to math and economics. Whether you work in magazines or in online editorial, you’re going to need more than just grammatical skills. The more you are able to grasp not only the creative side, but also what it takes to make the business side successful, the better your chances for advancing quickly once you get your foot in the door. With experience, you come to understand how, and where, the real money is made. But delving a little deeper into courses related to finance would have been helpful.
8. What are your future plans?
You mean aside from trying to get someone else to pay for an annual trip to play Pebble Beach ? Professionally, I want to work on developing our online division, golfonline.com, into a great resource. More and more large companies are investing advertising dollars on the Internet (instead of in newspapers, magazines and TV) as a greater percentage of the public switches to high-speed connections and broadband. A magazine’s Web site has to be more than just a place where you can read the stories on your screen instead of on paper. It has to be an extension of your brand and your company’s identity. That means I need to negotiate deals and strike strategic alliances with other companies, develop more ways for people to get value from their experience on our site and increase the site’s functionality.
But more importantly than that, I want to be the best husband, dad, and friend I can be. The more I work and the more successful I have become, the more I have realized that none of it would be possible without the support of a lot of people.
9. Are you willing to talk with students interested in a career in your field? If so, how may they best contact you?
I’m happy to help anyone at St. Lawrence get a better understanding of how magazine, Web sites and media companies work. The best way to reach me is via e-mail at david.dusek@time4.com.
Additional Alumni Profiles:
John Marino, '83 : Vice President for Marketing, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, CA
Dawn Montanye, '89 : Manager of Conservation Economics, World Wildlife Fund Northern Great Plains Program, Bozeman, Montana
Amanda Valenta '04 : Senior Audit Associate, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP
Moira Collins '84 : Senior Vice President, Product Development, Gartner, Inc.
Bruce E. Seely '75: Professor History and Department Chair, Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University
Mark Tavern '94: Director, A&R Administration at the
RCA Music Group, a unit of SONY BMG Music Entertainment and home of the J, Arista and RCA record labels.
Anthony (Tony) Ross '75, M'78: Vice President for Student
Affairs California State University, Los Angeles
George Ashline '89: Associate Professor of Mathematics, Saint Michael's College, Colchester, VT
Alissa Bibb '03, Program Officer: American Councils for International Education
Rick Persons, '83, Senior Television Producer, PGA TOUR Productions
Ronald T. Burkman, M.D., '65 Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Ken
Dowling ‘84, Executive Vice President, Grey Worldwide
Advertising
David Dusek ’93, Senior Managing Editor
of golfonline.com
Noelle Laing ‘03, Senior Consulting Associate
at Cambridge Associates
Dan Lee 05', Investment Banking Analyst, Cochran,
Caronia & Co.
Armand A. Rapetti ’73, President, CEO:
JBS & Associates, Lakeland, FL
Ken Polk & '91, Major Accounts District
Manager: Automatic Data Processing, Williamsville, NY
Wendy Davidson Freihammer & #8217;94,
Financial Advisor: American Express Financial Advisors, Cambridge, MA
Mayela C. (Calabria) Harris '87, Family
Therapist (Social Worker): Hospice of Wake County, Raleigh, NC
Peter J. Dalton '94, Affiliate Support
Manager: Habitat for Humanity International
