Northwest Indiana Business Magazine promoted Heather Pfundstein to managing editor Nov. 1.

She replaces former managing editor Larry Avila, who left the company for a new position at a national publisher of business news.

“Over the years, I have been through more turnover than I care to remember,” said Troy Linker, publisher and owner of Linker Media Group. “In all that time, I struggle to remember another time when I had such an able-bodied replacement ready to step up to fill a vacancy.”

However, Avila, who was with the magazine since 2018, will be missed.

“The magazine has never been better editorially, and that is in large part due to his efforts,” Linker said.

Pfundstein worked for newspapers in Northwest Indiana and northern Illinois for more than 20 years before joining Northwest Indiana Business Magazine in 2018 as the production/design manager.

She is happy to return to her roots and share stories about the Region's business community.

“Northwest Indiana has a special place in my heart,” Pfundstein said. “My first job out of college was here, and I learned so much about who I wanted to be.

“I am looking forward to learning more about the Region and sharing what I've learned along the way.”

Pfundstein started her newspaper career at the Times of Northwest Indiana before moving to the Chicago suburbs. There she worked for daily and weekly newspapers owned by Sun-Times Media and Tribune Media Group. She has a journalism degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

Find her latest work in the magazine here.