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Industry veteran Jim Hansen passes away

Jim Hansen, 71, former publisher at Ehlert Publishing Group, Inc., passed away recently after a battle with liver disease. Hansen had a longtime industry presence. He was the publisher of Cycle World magazine from 1980-1990, and president of American Roadracing magazine during its run in the early ’90s. Shortly after launching BLVD magazine in the mid-1990s, Hansen joined Ehlert in 1997 and served as Rider group publisher until 2007, overseeing the Rider, American Rider, Cruising Rider and Woman Rider titles before heading into retirement. Ehlert Publishing Group was the forerunner of PSB parent company EPG Media LLC. Hansen is survived by his wife Jackie and daughter Trish and family.

Former magazine publisher Jim Hansen, shown in 2007, passed away after a battle with liver disease.
Former magazine publisher Jim Hansen, shown in 2007, passed away after a battle with liver disease.

Said Larry Little, VP and general manager of Marketplace Events, “As he was to so many in this business, Jim was a mentor and a friend. I was fortunate that he hired me at Cycle World, and he was also my boss. His very creative mind was able to spin out viewpoints on things that I would have never considered, and because of that, he was the most creative problem solver I’ve ever known. I was very privileged to get some of that schooling and apply it in my career. As a riding companion he was the best, as there was nothing he wouldn’t tackle, be it Baja on dirt bikes, rides to Idaho (three Valkyries and an NSX chase car!), or CW Trek pre-runs (hitting golf balls off the north rim of the Grand Canyon …). His creative mind was responsible for creating many of those unforgettable memories with his unique wit and view of what we were doing or seeing.”

“Jim was our boss, but he was mainly our friend and ally in the good times and our anchor whenever the seas were rough during the time he was publisher,” said Rider magazine editor-in-chief Mark Tuttle. “He helped keep morale high and the staff functioning as a team whenever the pressure went up, and he had a knack for turning squabbles into laughs. His wit was endless, and his enthusiasm for motorcycles and the industry would have us bench racing for hours when we should have been working, but it always felt like we were doing something productive. ‘Hans’ was a great guy and it was a great time at Rider; I’ll always remember him.”

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5 Comments

  1. Appreciate the post on Jim, Mark. To those that might be wondering, we are working on an industry memorial gathering for Jim, and are seeking a good venue. If you want to make sure you get the info on it, send me an email at larryl@marketplaceevents.com and I’ll put you on the list. Jim was a genuine one-of-a-kind, and he left a lot of great memories for many of us.
    Larry Little

  2. I am so sorry to hear the news of Jim. His class, integrity, and genuine qualities shall remain an example for this industry. The comments above by Mark and Larry say so much. I must concur that if I had ever had a boss in this biz, I would have wanted it to be Jim Hansen.

  3. There will never be another like Jim. I am greatly saddened by his passing and my deepest sympathy goes out to his family. What a loss to us all.

    I had the distinct privilege of working with Jim for 11 years, not nearly enough time to learn all he had to teach. Jim was my mentor, my dear friend, a man I greatly admired not just for his abilities, but for the kind of person he was. Back in 1994 or ’95, Jim took a chance on a little known editor from New York with a less-than-sane reputation. He gave me a break, then tutored me to a whole new level of professionalism. Thank you, Jim, you were loved and you will be dearly missed.

  4. I had the privilege of working for Jim from 2002 – 2005 on Rider and our other titles at the time at EPG. He was a class act.. And funny – he had such a rich, long history in the motorcycle business and was an epic story teller. I learned much from him, not just about the business but about life, and am deeply saddened that he has passed. Jim was a great man.

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