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Unique business model continues to evolve
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Published with the October 1, 2013 Baton Rouge Business Report. Copyright © 2013 Louisiana Business Inc. Special Advertising Section.
Earl Heard took a risk in the early 1980s when he created a publication that would reach across multiple industries in the oil and gas sector. What started as a newsletter grew into BIC Alliance, and Heard hasn’t stopped innovating since. Joined by his partner and son-in-law Thomas Brinsko and Vice President Jeremy Osterberger, Heard has founded three other divisions of the company— BIC Media Solutions, BIC Recruiting and IVS Investment Banking.
BIC Alliance still publishes BIC Magazine, the largest multi-industry energy magazine in North America, while also handling recruiting, marketing and investment banking for more than 300 clients. From managing a database of 35,000 contacts to sending out a daily email blast and offering regular webinars, BIC Alliance has used technology to stay relevant and keep in touch with its growing audience.
A new website at bicalliance.com, expected to debut in October, will only further that mission. “We think the new site is going to significantly increase our readership globally, and with the new technology we’ll be able to promote our investment banking and recruiting even more,” said Heard.
Regional Manager Mark Hertzog describes the new site as the People magazine of the oil and gas industry. BIC Magazine will have the ability to offer up-to-date news from the energy markets right on the homepage and highlight job openings and new hires in the industry. “We want to offer a visitor an easy way to find stories on the expansion of the energy industry, and we’re focusing on our goal of connecting people who supply services and products with people who can buy from them,” Hertzog said.
A partnership with Louisiana Entertainment Publishers, which publishes Scene Magazine covering the Louisiana TV and film industry, may get BIC Magazine a bit closer to that People comparison. The two publications plan to cross-promote each other and co-produce events, something that Heard hints could lead to the future of BIC Alliance.
“The film industry is a billion-dollar industry in Louisiana,” he said. “We plan to expand our footprint in marketing, investment banking, recruiting and media partnerships beyond just the energy sector.”
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