Bentley-Hall owner settling in before pursuing growth plans

SYRACUSE  —  The new owner and CEO of Bentley-Hall, Inc. is making sure he’s in tune with the company before moving his focus to tuning up its growth.

“There are many ways we can grow,” says Dan Walding, who acquired Bentley-Hall from its founder, Bob Popyk, in March. “The people here are doing a great job. So the main thing right now is getting my arms around things and getting to managing the operation and establishing some goals and objectives.”

Bentley-Hall is a custom publishing, public relations, and communications firm headquartered in nearly 2,900 square feet of space in suite 300 at 120 Walton St. in Syracuse’s Armory Square area. Although he acquired the business months ago, Walding has only been there full time since the beginning of July.

Before that, Walding was juggling his newly acquired firm with a position he held at the Lexington, Ky.–based video-advertising sales organization Viamedia. He was the manager of the Syracuse market for Viamedia, which has its local office in suite 204 at 224 Harrison St. The firm represents Verizon’s FiOS television and Internet service in the area. Walding is no longer affiliated with Viamedia. 

However, Walding owns a business called Strategic Resources, which handles all broadcasting and print-media advertising for Summit Automotive Group. 

Eventually, Walding plans to merge Strategic Resources, which he currently operates from his home in Skaneateles, into Bentley-Hall. No merger will take place before 2013 between the businesses, which complement each other, Walding says.

“We’re doing business at Bentley-Hall with people that are custom publishing,” he says. “Maybe some of those people would like to get into broadcasting, or television, or other forms of media.”

However, Walding does not intend to shift Bentley-Hall away from two of its successful consumer publications — Making Music Magazine, which is aimed at recreational musicians, and International Musician, which is the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada’s official journal.

Making Music Magazine could be a major source of growth for Bentley-Hall, according to Walding. But, he emphasizes that he’s not ready to make major tweaks to it at this point.

“If we can be successful bringing people into our magazines through the Internet and our social networks, that can be another whole dynamic that we can offer,” he says. “These are things that are in my mind, but I don’t have a need to jump out on immediately.”

Walding is also considering expanding Bentley-Hall’s work in other custom publications, such as those for automobile dealerships. It currently publishes the Buick Creative Selling newsletter. 

And, Walding wants to increase the firm’s visibility within the Syracuse area — he would like Bentley-Hall to play a role in rebuilding a symphony in Syracuse, although he has no definite plans at this point.

One immediate change Bentley-Hall is implementing because of Walding is the launch of a new website. Walding describes it as “more dynamic.”

“We’re developing a great portion of it ourselves,” he says. “It will describe what we do in more detail.”

Walding has a revenue-growth target of 50 percent for 2013, up from an estimated 15 percent growth in 2012, he says. He declined to disclose specific revenue totals.

Including Walding, Bentley-Hall currently has 11 employees. He says he does not plan to make any staffing changes in the near future. 

Antoinette Follett remains the company’s president as well as editor-in-chief of Making Music Magazine and managing editor of International Musician.

Popyk, Bentley-Hall’s founder and former owner, is also still with the company. He is filling consultant and sales roles, according to Walding. Popyk expressed intentions to stay at Bentley-Hall for several years after selling the business, Walding says. The former owner decided to sell the firm because he was ready to start formulating an exit strategy, Walding adds.

“Any person that has a company that they’ve grown for many years knows there needs to be an exit strategy,” Walding says. “He’s still involved. I’m very lucky, and I don’t think I would have made this leap if it wasn’t for that situation.”

Walding did not release the financial terms of the acquisition of Bentley-Hall, but says it was a stock sale that gives him sole ownership of the business.

The two sides did not use a broker in the transaction. Walding utilized the law firm Hiscock & Barclay LLP of Syracuse and the accounting firm of James Ashe Co. CPA, PLLC of DeWitt in the deal.

Popyk used the Law Office of Bertrand, Arno & Welch in North Syracuse and accounting firm Testone, Marshall & Discenza, LLP of Syracuse in the transaction, Walding says. 

Editor’s note: The Business Journal is a customer of Bentley-Hall for circulation services. 

SYRACUSE  —  The new owner and CEO of Bentley-Hall, Inc. is making sure he’s in tune with the company before moving his focus to tuning up its growth.

“There are many ways we can grow,” says Dan Walding, who acquired Bentley-Hall from its founder, Bob Popyk, in March. “The people here are doing a great job. So the main thing right now is getting my arms around things and getting to managing the operation and establishing some goals and objectives.”

Bentley-Hall is a custom publishing, public relations, and communications firm headquartered in nearly 2,900 square feet of space in suite 300 at 120 Walton St. in Syracuse’s Armory Square area. Although he acquired the business months ago, Walding has only been there full time since the beginning of July.

Before that, Walding was juggling his newly acquired firm with a position he held at the Lexington, Ky.–based video-advertising sales organization Viamedia. He was the manager of the Syracuse market for Viamedia, which has its local office in suite 204 at 224 Harrison St. The firm represents Verizon’s FiOS television and Internet service in the area. Walding is no longer affiliated with Viamedia. 

However, Walding owns a business called Strategic Resources, which handles all broadcasting and print-media advertising for Summit Automotive Group. 

Eventually, Walding plans to merge Strategic Resources, which he currently operates from his home in Skaneateles, into Bentley-Hall. No merger will take place before 2013 between the businesses, which complement each other, Walding says.

“We’re doing business at Bentley-Hall with people that are custom publishing,” he says. “Maybe some of those people would like to get into broadcasting, or television, or other forms of media.”

However, Walding does not intend to shift Bentley-Hall away from two of its successful consumer publications — Making Music Magazine, which is aimed at recreational musicians, and International Musician, which is the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada’s official journal.

Making Music Magazine could be a major source of growth for Bentley-Hall, according to Walding. But, he emphasizes that he’s not ready to make major tweaks to it at this point.

“If we can be successful bringing people into our magazines through the Internet and our social networks, that can be another whole dynamic that we can offer,” he says. “These are things that are in my mind, but I don’t have a need to jump out on immediately.”

Walding is also considering expanding Bentley-Hall’s work in other custom publications, such as those for automobile dealerships. It currently publishes the Buick Creative Selling newsletter. 

And, Walding wants to increase the firm’s visibility within the Syracuse area — he would like Bentley-Hall to play a role in rebuilding a symphony in Syracuse, although he has no definite plans at this point.

One immediate change Bentley-Hall is implementing because of Walding is the launch of a new website. Walding describes it as “more dynamic.”

“We’re developing a great portion of it ourselves,” he says. “It will describe what we do in more detail.”

Walding has a revenue-growth target of 50 percent for 2013, up from an estimated 15 percent growth in 2012, he says. He declined to disclose specific revenue totals.

Including Walding, Bentley-Hall currently has 11 employees. He says he does not plan to make any staffing changes in the near future. 

Antoinette Follett remains the company’s president as well as editor-in-chief of Making Music Magazine and managing editor of International Musician.

Popyk, Bentley-Hall’s founder and former owner, is also still with the company. He is filling consultant and sales roles, according to Walding. Popyk expressed intentions to stay at Bentley-Hall for several years after selling the business, Walding says. The former owner decided to sell the firm because he was ready to start formulating an exit strategy, Walding adds.

“Any person that has a company that they’ve grown for many years knows there needs to be an exit strategy,” Walding says. “He’s still involved. I’m very lucky, and I don’t think I would have made this leap if it wasn’t for that situation.”

Walding did not release the financial terms of the acquisition of Bentley-Hall, but says it was a stock sale that gives him sole ownership of the business.

The two sides did not use a broker in the transaction. Walding utilized the law firm Hiscock & Barclay LLP of Syracuse and the accounting firm of James Ashe Co. CPA, PLLC of DeWitt in the deal.

Popyk used the Law Office of Bertrand, Arno & Welch in North Syracuse and accounting firm Testone, Marshall & Discenza, LLP of Syracuse in the transaction, Walding says. 

Editor’s note: The Business Journal is a customer of Bentley-Hall for circulation services.