Alan Gould, publisher of Nation’s Restaurant News from 1998 to 2008, died July 23 of kidney failure after a long illness. He was 74.
The family plans services as a celebration of Gould’s life from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the New York Athletic Club Travers Island, 31 Shore Rd. in Pelham, N.Y.
“Alan displayed extraordinary vision coupled with a strong moral compass,” recalled Ellen Koteff Uribe, who served as executive editor during Gould’s tenure at NRN. “He was a mentor who always made time for his colleagues. He was widely admired by the industry and beloved by his staff.”
Gould joined NRN in 1994 as director of marketing and was named associate publisher in 1995. He was promoted to publisher in 1998 and was named a corporate vice president in 2000. He also served as a vice president of NRN’s parent company at the time, New York-based Lebhar-Friedman Inc. He left NRN in 2008.
Before joining NRN, Gould worked with the marketing firm of Madigan & McManus. Prior to that, he served for more than 14 years with Hilton International, where he was corporate director of public relations.
Gould’s wife, Mary, said the pair traveled extensively after Gould stepped down at NRN, and he devoted time to family and worked with her on a regional therapeutic center aiding children with autism until she retired seven years ago.
Gould’s time at Nation’s Restaurant News included the creation of new media at the turn of the millennium, such as fax and email newsletters, and championing new events, such as the now-26-year-old MenuMasters and technology-focused FS/Tec. MenuMasters continues as a program sponsored by Ventura Foods.
Monique Monaco, director of events for Informa’s Restaurant & Food Group, which owns NRN, said: “Alan had a profound impact on our industry, our events, and my professional development. He always wanted NRN to be the first to innovate, and that culture he instilled in our group still exists today.”
Susan Szymanski, director of sales for Informa’s Restaurant & Food Group, added: “Identifying and accelerating growth opportunities was always a priority with Alan. He was laser-focused on what was best for the restaurant industry and how Nation’s Restaurant News could be the catalyst for it. He was a true leader with a big heart."
Elissa Elan, now a senior writer and editor with the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association who worked as NRN’s associate managing editor with Gould, said: “Alan was incredibly smart and innovative, a true leader in B2B publishing. He instinctively knew how to turn Nation’s Restaurant News from a good magazine into a great one. He gave his team the freedom to create and collaborate to educate and inform the myriad members of the restaurant industry. But most importantly, he was incredibly kind and generous to everyone, a wonderful man who leaves an indelible legacy.”
Gould’s survivors include his wife, Mary of Bedford Hills; one sister, Joanna; three sons, Jeffrey, Brian, and Casey; and eight grandchildren.
“Alan's family — his wife, Mary, and their three sons — meant the world to him,” Uribe said. “He worked hard, and he relished the opportunity because it was what allowed him to practice the joy of giving.”
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