Naylor Publications sold to Clarity Partners.

Clarity Partners, L.P. (Los Angeles, CA), a private equity firm that invests in communications, media and related technology companies, and ZelnickMedia Corp. (New York), a media company whose holdings include interests in Time Life, Lillian Vernon, Columbia Music Entertainment (CME) of Japan, UGO, Arkadium, National Lampoon, and OTX, an online market research company, have acquired Naylor Publications, Inc. (Gainesville, FL/Winnipeg, MB), a provider of business-to-business media and advertising services to trade and professional associations in the U.S. and Canada. No terms were given. Naylor was represented by The Jordan Edmiston Group (New York).

Founded in 1969, Naylor contracts with over 400 trade and professional associations to provide printing, advertising sales, and distribution services that enable its association clients to publish over 800 periodicals per year, including magazines, membership directories, newsletters, web sites, and buyer guides.

Company founder and majority shareholder Brent Naylor said the sale was the result of a "long and thoughtful process. We received extraordinarily strong interest from several private equity sponsors. We chose the Zelnick-Clarity team because of the breadth of their media industry experience and the depth and credibility of their commitment to building aggressively upon the foundation we have established."

"We are very excited to acquire the leading media services firm serving the association market," said Josh Gutfreund, one of Clarity's active Partners on this investment. "Brent, CEO Michael Moss, and their Naylor colleagues recognized the size and growth potential of the association market decades ago, and Naylor now enjoys a strong market position and reputation. Clarity Partners and Zelnick-Media intend to continue to grow Naylor Publications, utilizing the existing executive team's talents and continually developing new association business relationships."

"Naylor Publications is a dynamic, fast-growing company in the publishing and media services arena," said Zelnick-Media partner Jim Friedlich, who will serve as Chairman of the Board. "The company is known for its customer service, on-time delivery, and product quality--all of which deliver a strong return on investment to its trade association customers."