Publisher Mike Reyno
As Vertical's co-founder and co-publisher, Mike has been covering the aviation sector for 18 years in both words and pictures. Prior to launching Vertical with his wife, Linda, in 2002, Mike's work had been published in aviation publications and journals around the world.

Mike was bitten by the aviation bug at the age of eight, when he watched his first air show in London, Ontario, Canada sitting on his dad's shoulders. When he was old enough to hold a camera, his obsession then turned to photography. Failing miserably later in life to woo women with his camera (that is, until Linda came along), he discovered that capturing aviation on film was the next best thing. Mike was able to turn his hobby into a career by the mid 90s, and it wasn't long before he was flying in the back of F-18s with the Canadian Air Force as well as becoming an official photographer for the world-renowned Snowbirds air demonstration team.

However, he quickly realized where the real action was: in the helicopter industry. Mike takes great pride in being able to produce an award-winning publication for a sector that is often likened to the "adopted stepchild" of aviation. Although Mike tries to include aviation and photography in many aspects of his life, he has managed to acquire some other exciting interests, too, including cooking, housecleaning and yard work. He resides in Kitchener, Ontario with Linda and their three children (Mitchell, Hanna and Madison - the "MHM" of MHM Publishing), as well as two dogs, three hamsters and a rabbit that thinks it's a cat.


Publisher Linda Reyno
Linda, Vertical's publisher and co-founder, spent the better part of her career in a sales and marketing position with a major telecommunications company in North America. This, despite being a farm girl at heart: growing up on a family farm in rural Ontario with seven brothers and sisters, she spent many a summer day baling straw, picking stones and cleaning out pig pens!

In 2001, after bringing her twin girls home to an already busy household and a two-year-old son, Linda planned to dedicate her time to raising her family. Unable to stay still for long, however, she eagerly joined Mike in launching MHM Publishing, named after their three children. Mike and Linda saw a niche that was not being covered by existing publications, and decided to devote Vertical to the North American civil helicopter market.

Now with a dedicated team of eight working on Vertical and Vertical 911, Linda divides her time between managing MHM publishing, running a household, and raising those three kids, two dogs, three hamsters and Jack-Jack - the rabbit that thinks he's a cat.


Managing Editor Amitav Dash
Veteran writer and editor Amitav Dash's work spans the spectrum of the written word, both by genre and media type. After 16 years in the communications industry, there isn't a business sector he hasn't written for or about - and after six years with Vertical, there isn't a sector of the helicopter industry he doesn't know well.

As the longest-serving editor at MHM Publishing, next to editor-in-chief Mike Reyno, he takes immense pride in having helped develop the Vertical brands into what most consider the most respected and trusted helicopter publications in North America... possibly the world.

Editor-in-Chief Elan Head
Elan Head has been writing and editing professionally for more than 10 years, and flying helicopters for more than five. She is an FAA Gold Seal flight instructor with helicopter and instrument helicopter ratings, and is busily collecting commercial pilot licenses from around the world. Formerly, she edited HeliNews Magazine in Australia.

A native of New Mexico, Elan is frequently mocked when her warm-climate car can't negotiate Canadian roads. Thus she lives within walking distance of the Vertical office. A former restaurant critic with a penchant for adventure, she is equally comfortable in Michelin-starred restaurants or hanging off the ramps of Chinooks in Afghanistan (well, maybe a little more comfortable in the restaurants).

 

 

 

Director of Sales and Marketing Derek Kast
Derek is responsible for the overall portfolio of sales, marketing and communications for the Vertical and Vertical 911 brands. With more than 15 years of sales experience, he draws on an extensive background in sales and sales management from the retail environment. Derek's straightforward, low-pressure sales approach is one example of how Vertical is forging a new direction in publishing.

Prior to joining MHM Publishing, Derek was a senior business development manager managing top accounts at Storeimage, where he worked for 14 years. He is a graduate of Conestoga College.

Derek and his wife, Beth, have two children, Danielle and Ethan. He enjoys many activities, but currently dedicates much of his time toward achieving his karate black belt.

 

Classified Advertising Manager Carla McKay
Carla has been involved with Vertical from the early days of the magazine (and has known the Reynos even longer - she and Linda have been best friends since the age of five). From juggling circulation, subscriptions, accounting, invoicing and payroll duties when Vertical was a start-up, Carla has moved into her current position in sales as the company has grown.

"A bit of a perfectionist," Carla goes the extra mile to help her clients find the marketing solutions that are perfect for them. She and her husband, Mike, have two children, Olivia and Taylor; one large police dog; and a small Jack Russell terrier (who thinks he's a large police dog). They enjoy simple small-town living away from the big city of Kitchener (Carla actually grew up on a farm, though you'd never guess it from her stylish wardrobe).

In her spare time, if she's not at the hockey arena with her son, Carla is running her daughter to swimming or modeling courses. She enjoys relaxing with a favorite book and a glass of wine in front of the fire, or, on crazy nights, dancing with a gin-and-tonic...

 

Production/Design Manager Jen Farkas
Jen is the creative guru at Vertical Magazine. Since coming aboard as a designer in 2008, the Mohawk College grad has done work for almost all of the magazine's clients. Vertical's creative, cutting-edge design owes much to her artsy coolness; as a fan of the independent music and film scenes, she definitely brings a different perspective to helicopter publishing.

Jen is naturally one of the key mechanisms in the social scene at the Vertical office. The reasons for that could be many: her easygoing personality, her ability to make almost anything that comes her way laughable, her love for speaking in the third person... We could go on and on, but more than likely it's just her willingness to go for drinks with very little notice.

 

Circulation Manager Leanne Willis
Leanne joined MHM Publishing in 2007. Besides managing Vertical's sizable subscription list, she answers the phone, handles human resources, and otherwise keeps the office running smoothly.

Leanne graduated with a degree in psychology and a minor in geography from Wilfrid Laurier University, where she also played lacrosse. She also has a diploma in HR management from Conestoga College.

Always stylish, Leanne loves fashion and shopping, and also likes to dance. Mostly, though, she loves to laugh!





Accounting Manager Dana Hancock
Dana and her husband, Jeff, have two sons, Brody and Matt, who are into electric guitars and drums. Which means that "our house tends to be busy and sometimes loud," she says.




Webmaster Jeremy Law
Jeremy was born and raised in the big city of Fergus, Ont. (pop. 10,000), where he lives with his wife, Dana, and their daughter, Makenna. Jeremy has convinced his wife to let him get his motorcycle license, but hasn't managed to convince her to let him get a bike yet.