Vertis Communications Appoints New CEO

Vertis Communications, a results-driven marketing communications company that delivers inventive advertising, direct marketing and interactive solutions to prominent brands across North America, appointed Gerald "Jerry" Sokol, Jr. to the permanent position of President and Chief Executive Officer.

It was effective July 25. Sokol held the position of interim President and CEO since December 20, 2010, while acting as the company's Chief Financial Officer.

"The Board of Directors believes Jerry has done a tremendous job over the past several months and is clearly the right person to lead Vertis," said Doug Teitelbaum, Chairman of the Board. "Since assuming the role as interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Jerry has demonstrated outstanding leadership, taking decisive actions to establish a solid operational foundation for the company while setting a clear growth strategy to capitalize on a rapidly changing industry. We have also received positive feedback from across the organization about Jerry's passion for the business and performance to date. We look forward to Jerry leading Vertis through its next phase of growth."

"I am honored to have the opportunity to solidify my ongoing commitment to the organization and work with the talented group of professionals at Vertis to carry forward the strategies we've put in place to build value for our customers, employees and shareholders" said Sokol. "Vertis is an elite marketing communications company that has an excellent track record in delivering superior customer service and quality solutions to prominent brands across North America. I look forward to leveraging the enormous potential of Vertis to advance the organization to the next generation marketing organization."

Before joining Vertis as CFO in 2009, Sokol served as Executive Vice President of AOL Finance, Operations and Strategy for the AOL division of Time Warner. During his 10 years with the company, he administered a multi-billion dollar operating budget and led business development, domestic operations, and the marketing analysis team. Sokol launched the AOL service in 11 international markets that generated several hundred million dollars of revenue through a mix of search, advertising, and subscription services and also led the IP of AOL Latin America.