American Media, Inc. Promotes Chris Polimeni to Executive Vice President - Finance, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer.

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- American Media, Inc. (AMI) today announced that Chris Polimeni has been promoted to Executive Vice President - Finance, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of American Media Operations, Inc. (AMOI), its operating subsidiary. Mr. Polimeni had previously been a Senior Vice President - Finance, while also serving as Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer.

At the same time, the company announced that Dean Durbin, AMI's Chief Financial Offer and Chief Operating Officer, has resigned to join Cengage Learning in Stamford, Connecticut. Cengage Learning is one of the world's leading providers of print and digital information services for the educational and library reference markets and has revenue of approximately $2 billion per year.

"I am truly sorry to lose Dean," said David J. Pecker, AMI's Chairman, President and CEO. "He was without question the finest CFO in our company's history. But when he described to me the opportunity offered him by Cengage, I knew I couldn't stand in his way. I wish him the very best."

Mr. Polimeni will assume Mr. Durbin's responsibilities for the company's finances, accounting, financial reporting, treasury, taxes, planning and administration. He will report to Mr. Pecker.

Commenting on the promotion, Mr. Pecker said "Chris has been with AMI for the past 3 years and in January of 2009 was named by Dean as our Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer. I have the utmost confidence that he will be able to insure a seamless transition and maintain the high standards and practices Dean set during his tenure."

Before joining American Media, Chris was President of Polimeni and Associates, specializing in financial management and systems consulting. From 1994 to 2003, he served as Vice President - Finance and Corporate Controller of Questron Technology, Inc. and then also as interim CFO. When GE Supply Logistics acquired Questron in 2002, Chris became interim CIO as well. Prior to that, he practiced as a tax accountant at major public accounting firms in New York and Florida. Chris holds a BBA from Hofstra University.

  Mr. Durbin's last official day at AMI is July 24th.

  About American Media, Inc.

American Media, Inc. is the leading publisher of celebrity journalism and health and fitness magazines in the U.S. These include Star, Shape, Men's Fitness, Fit Pregnancy, Natural Health, and The National Enquirer. In addition to print properties, AMI owns Distribution Services, Inc., the country's #1 in-store magazine merchandising company.

CONTACT: David Pecker, American Media, Inc., [phone]