Former publisher of 30+ years, Gina Pizzini, steps into advisory role with magazine
Sugar Land, TX — Aug. 1, 2024 — Gina Pizzini has been publishing UpClose Magazine, serving 75,000 households in Fort Bend County, for the last 30+ years. She is stepping into an advisory role immediately, as John and Alisha McMillen assume the publisher duties for the magazine.
“I developed UpClose Magazine to share information about the community businesses, non-profits, and events/activities of our great community of Fort Bend County,” Gina says. “Connecting businesses with clients and business partners has been my passion for 30 years. At this time, I’m stepping into an advisory role with the magazine, supporting new publishers, John and Alisha.”
John and Alisha have lived in Sugar Land for more than 20 years. They raised their college-aged twin daughters here and continue to live in the family home with their two dogs. They’re excited to continue spreading news about Fort Bend County’s amazing organizations. “It’s important for the publishers of UpClose to have knowledge about and experience in the community they serve. Alisha and I are committed to Fort Bend County. We love our community,” John says. “I have a background in business, finance, and sales, while Alisha has a background in writing, marketing, and creative project management. We’ve been working with Gina since January and realized we have the right mix of experience to handle the responsibilities of a monthly magazine. Though we’ll never be able to replace the dynamo that is Gina Pizzini, we’re confident that the two of us together can match her energy and success in this shared role.”
“It’s unusual to have a regional magazine that has been so successful for three decades. That success can be directly attributed to Gina’s commitment and steadfast belief in the good that the magazine does,” Alisha says. “We’re thankful she’ll be with us as we make this transition seamless to our readers and partners.”
UpClose Magazine serves the Fort Bend County Community, including Richmond/Rosenberg, Sugar Land, Missouri City, and more. A monthly magazine, it’s delivered to the mailboxes of 75,000 Fort Bend County homes on the first of every month. Well-read and respected in the community, UpClose contains news about some of the most highly regarded businesses and nonprofits in the county.
John McMillen (left), Gina Pizzini (center), Alisha McMillen (right)