RENO, Nev. — Jim Ryan, the accomplished, award-winning media executive who has held key management positions with five of the world’s most influential and powerful media communications groups, has been named the SCORE Marketing and Sales Director it was announced today by SCORE officials. SCORE International, based in Reno, Nev., is the producer and sanctioning body of the SCORE World Desert Championship with races both in Baja California, Mexico and Southern California.

Ryan, of Long Beach, Calif., has assumed his new position effective immediately, working directly with SCORE CEO/President Roger Norman. Ryan, most recently the Off-Road Group Publisher for Los Angeles’ Source Interlink Media, joins the team of SCORE which is celebrating its 41st season as the world’s foremost desert racing organization.

“This is a truly remarkable opportunity for SCORE to have an individual with the impeccable reputation and remarkable resume of Jim Ryan be available at the same time as we confirmed our need for this key management position in the development of the new generation of SCORE International,” commented SCORE’s Norman.

“Jim’s presence will have an immediate positive impact on the growth and development of SCORE in extending the vision we have for the organization we acquired at the end of 2012. SCORE has a magnificent history and an unbelievable future and it is individuals like Jim who will help us to achieve both or short-term and long-term goals of the organization.”

A Journalism graduate of the University of Ohio, Ryan spent the last two years with Source Interlink Media, the company that acquired his Dirt Sports and Off-Road Industry magazines in October of 2012.

Commenting on his new position, Ryan said, “I have been aware of and worked with and around SCORE for nearly three decades through my positions in the publishing world and I thoroughly welcome this opportunity and challenge to help grow the new SCORE in the direction that Roger Norman has it headed. I welcome all that this new position involves for me and look forward to working with the SCORE team and family of sponsors to develop even further the vision Norman has laid out for the next chapters in SCORE history. SCORE is already implanted as a viable brand globally and we look to expand the entire reach of SCORE, the SCORE World Desert Championship and the world’s best desert racers even further.”

Among the many honors Ryan has received over the years, two of his most coveted are the 2012 SEMA Motorsports Council’s Robert E. Petersen Media Person of the Year award and the 2012 SCORE Journalist of the Year award.

Ryan spent his lengthy career in various sales and publishing positions with Petersen Publishing in Los Angeles (1980-2001) before a two-year tenure with Primedia and five years with Advanstar Communications (2003-2008) in Irvine, Calif. prior to going solo with his Ryan Communications Group to produce the highly-regarded Dirt Sports and Off-Road Industry magazines (2008-2012).

Ryan can be reached at SCORE International by either e-mail at jim@score-international.com or by phone at 818.333.3696.