Fairfield County and Westchester County Merge in Monthly Business Publication

For regular readers of the Fairfield County Business Journal, September ended with something new in the mailbox – a combined issue of that publication and the Westchester County Business Journal.  The monthly combined edition of the two weekly publications will occur the last week of each month, while the other three weeks will see a continuation of the separate publications covering the business news of the two neighboring counties in New York and Connecticut. As the publications stated, “the normally separate Fairfield and Westchester County Business Journals are combined this week in a glossy magazine format.  The look is new, but the journalism, ads and legal information remain true to our half-century tradition of excellence in publishing.”

Westfair Business Publications (Westfair), a privately held publishing firm located in White Plains, N.Y., publishes weekly business newspapers: the Westchester County Business Journal in combination with HV Biz (Hudson Valley Business) in New York state and the Fairfield County Business Journal in Connecticut.

With a weekly readership of more than 150,000, Westfair’s business publications reach business leaders and decision makers in seven counties (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Ulster in New York state, and Fairfield in Connecticut). The new monthly publication required a combining of the two mastheads, which was accomplished beginning with the premiere issue.

There is no question that the economic fates of the two counties are intertwined.  Earlier this month, the mayors of cities in both counties came together for a forum to explore common issues including economic development and transportation, concluding that they had “more similarities than differences,” according to published reports.

The Fairfield and Westchester Business Journals are nearly 50 years old and are the only weekly, countywide local business newspapers. They were founded by former Westchester resident David Moore, a grandson of celebrated New York publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and John Smith, a former Wall Street Journal editor.

As the Westfair website describes, “In keeping with its founders’ principles, the newspapers focus on the local and regional business community with news and information that are helpful to business people. As a premier source of business information on matters of concern and interest …Westfair business publications and its website westfaironline.com, provide up-to-date news and information on issues important and pertinent to the regional business marketplace.”

With a staff of more than 30 industry professionals and several freelance writers and photographers and a highly informed insider network of business and community contacts in all the counties covered, Westfair brings timely business news and information in all its publications to its readers, the website points out. As is true of many business publications in Connecticut and across the country, Westfair also sponsors seminars, expos, conferences, roundtable discussions and debates, and the popular annual 40 Under 40 competition that highlights the region’s young business leaders.