• by Erik Sass , June 9, 2008

Rodale is keeping its executives fit with a rousing game of musical chairs. The company announced four new appointments or changes of position on Friday--making the changes, in part, to accelerate the expansion of its digital and international businesses.

Steve Madden has been named vice president and editorial director for Rodale International, where he will oversee all editorial content at Rodale's international titles, including the foreign editions of Men's Health, Women's Health, Bicycling, Prevention, Runner's World, Best Life and Organic Gardening. Madden is leaving his previous position as editor in chief of Bicycling at the end of August.

Madden's old role will be taken up by Loren Mooney, currently the executive editor of Bicycling, who will be promoted to editor in chief on September 2. Mooney joined the magazine in 2004, leading development of women's and triathlon packages, as well as a redesign of the magazine's front-of-book section. Before Rodale, she held senior editorial positions at Reader's Digest and Outdoor Explorer.

The shuffle was triggered, in part, by the departure of Bill Ostroff, previously chief marketing officer and president of Rodale Interactive.

Rodale is also promoting Gregg Michaelson to executive vice president for customer marketing, where he will oversee all of Rodale's branded Web sites and retail distribution of the magazines. Previously, he was executive vice president of Rodale Direct, although he will continue leading Rodale's global direct response marketing business, including online and offline sales of magazines, books, video, and online subscriptions.

On the editorial front, Rodale named Dave Zinczenko as editorial director of Women's Health, adding to his current responsibilities as editor in chief of Men's Health and editorial director for Best Life. In his capacity as EIC of Men's Health, Zinczenko has overseen the rapid growth of its Web site audience, the continued success of the print magazine in ad pages and audience, and the roll out of a series of Men's Health books which altogether have sold over 1.5 million copies.