Oakstreet Media is a company formed to invest in and acquire lower-mid market business-to-business media and information companies.  The company was established in 2008 by Thomas L. Kemp, an experienced industry leader in business media and information.

Thomas L. Kemp, CEO

Tom Kemp has a unique combination of experience as a senior operating executive and private equity investor in business-to-business media and information.

Private Equity:

From 2004-2008, Tom was a Managing Director at Veronis Suhler Stevenson, the leading private equity firm investing in the media and communications industry.  VSS has been one of the most successful and largest investors in business-to-business media including investments in Hanley-Wood, Advanstar, Canon Communications, Access Intelligence, Ascend Media, Red 7 Media, Schofield Media, and Chemical Week Associates.

While at VSS, Kemp was active in the fund’s investments in Schofield Media, Red 7 Media, and Access Intelligence. 

Operating Management:

Prior to VSS, Kemp was the Chairman & CEO of Penton Media, one of the leading business-to-business media companies with more than 65 trade magazines, 50 trade shows and events, and fifty on-line businesses.  During Kemp’s leadership the company grew from $165 million of revenue to $400 million of revenue.  Kemp was CEO of Penton from 1996 to 2004.

Prior to Penton, Tom was President & COO of Miller Freeman, Inc, the iconic and market leading business to-business media company headquartered in San Francisco.  Kemp spent more than 20 years at Miller Freeman, contributing to the company’s growth from a $15 million/year, family-owned trade publishing company to a $400 million fully integrated business media company, including being one of the world’s largest trade show companies, at the time of Tom’s departure in 1996.

Recognition & Honors

Tom has been a frequent speaker at media management conferences throughout his career, including, among others at FOLIO:’s Publishing Summit, the SISO CEO Summit, and the American Business Media’s Top Management and Spring Meetings.

Some of the recognition in Kemp’s career includes:

  • Business Magazine Person of the Year, MIN Magazine
  • FOLIO: Forty:  The Most Influential People in the Magazine Industry, FOLIO: Magazine
  • Who’s Who in Business-to-Business Marketing, B-to-B Magazine
  • The Most Influential People in the Tradeshow Industry, Tradeshow Week Magazine

Board Memberships

Kemp has extensive experience as a Board member of several media companies as well as media associations, including the following:

  • Access Intelligence
  • Schofield Media
  • Red 7 Media
  • Penton Media
  • Miller Freeman
  • American Business Media
  • BPA International
  • Association of Medical Publishers

Education

Kemp received his BA with honors from Amherst College.  He has also attended several executive management courses at the Johnson School of Management at Cornell, and the London School of Business.


Oakstreet Media, LLC | 112 Oak Street | New Canaan, CT 06840 | Tel: 203-801-9605