The Alternative Press

January 16, 2013 (New Providence, NJ) – TheAlternativePress.com (TAP) is pleased to announce that Chatham resident and media executive Jim Lonergan, has joined the TAP team as Chairman. Lonergan will focus on business strategy, developing strategic and financial partnerships, and he will guide the scale of the business from a small NJ-based media company to a national media organization.  

Lonergan, a proven business executive with a successful track record of creating shareholder value at companies with revenues between $5M-$100M, has been guiding the business since October 2012 and has been an advisory board member on the Chatham Advisory Board of TAP since 2010.

Founder and CEO of TAP, Michael Shapiro, says, “We are creating incubators of entrepreneurship, providing exciting job opportunities throughout New Jersey and beyond. I can think of no one better poised to take TheAlternativePress.com to the next level than Jim Lonergan. He brings a wealth of on-line media, publishing, and video knowledge critical to our success. Our expansion plans are significant and his experience in building companies in the right, smart way, is just what we need to take us to new heights. His enthusiasm and belief in what we are doing for our communities and for our successful licensing model to enable us to expand TheAlternativePress.com throughout the country is exciting.”

According to Jim Lonergan, “Local online advertising is projected to increase exponentially in the next few years and TheAlternativePress.com is uniquely positioned to become a national leader in providing high-quality, objective local news and effective and affordable local advertising through its licensing model. I'm excited about the possibilities ahead as we ramp up the company to prepare to take it national."

Lonergan is well-known and respected for his demonstrated success in leading growth stage companies, both early and developed, as well as turn-around situations. He also has expertise in expanding both B2B and B2C business models that lead to scalable businesses through organic means – market expansion, product/service innovation, strategic and tactical goal focused management – and via acquisition. Lonergan has either led or held an active role in twelve M&A transactions and integrations, including a public company take-private. He serves as Board Member and Chair of a number of companies.  

Lonergan recently was Chairman, CEO, & President of online video company Synaptic Digital, which was recently sold to a private equity firm. Prior, Lonergan was Executive Chair and Board member of media company Sports Information Group. Prior to that, he was President & COO of TheStreet.com through much of the past decade.   

Shapiro continued, “We are ready for this next phase in our growth and are looking forward to working with Jim as we raise capital locally in the next few months to help fuel our expansion and take us to new levels.”

The Alternative Press was founded in 2008 and is the first all-online newspaper to receive accreditation by the New Jersey Press Association.

Publisher's Note:  TheAlternativePress.com  is looking for people who would like to start their own hometown online newspaper as their own business.  If you are active in your community and a journalist, a public relations/sales/marketing professional, or simply an entrepreneur looking for a new business opportunity, please contact CEO and Publisher, Mike Shapiro at 908-370-1158 or mikeshapiro@thealternativepress.com