ABOUT US
POND TRADE is written by pond experts — authorities in the industry whose backgrounds are as unique and varied as our readers. From Japanese koi farmers to rock and boulder specialists;
from outdoor lighting designers to aquatic botany Ph.D.s; from bloggers to business consultants to purveyors of pumps; these are the people who will shape the pond industry today and into the future. When our readers pick up the newest issue of POND Trade, they know they’ll find tips, insights and inspiration straight from the industry’s best. It’s our job to make sure they never find anything less.
Our goal is not just to entertain pond lovers and report on the industry. At POND Trade, our mission is to actively grow the industry by providing actionable information that empowers and inspires pond professionals. With practical, application-oriented content, we aim to serve the industry directly by helping readers make informed decisions in their designs and building projects.
POND Trade Staff
Lora Lee Gelles,
Publisher
Lora Lee has over 25 years of experience in publishing. She purchased POND Trade in 2013 and has been thrilled with her new job ever since. As publisher, she is tasked with a few “minor responsibilities” that include organizing the content schedule, recruiting writers, acquiring articles, selling ads and designing the magazine. In her PPT (Pre-POND Trade) life, Lora Lee worked as an art director, marketing manager and art department supervisor. She spends many hours in her garden and has been featured on garden walks. There is now a pond amidst the flowers. You never knew how much you would enjoy a pond until you have one. Now she can’t imagine life without one. Lora Lee is married and has one son. She lives in the Chicagoland area and her only regret is not being able to enjoy her garden and pond year round!
llgelles@pondtrademag.com
twitter – @pondtrade
Jordan Morris,
Editor
Jordan joined the POND Trade team in January 2016. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has previously worked in the editorial department of Robb Report magazine, editing and writing articles about the luxury lifestyle. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found two small businesses and manage the marketing, branding and operations departments for 11 years. Following the sale of one business in 2015, Jordan seized the opportunity to return to his journalistic roots, starting a freelance editing company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, that copy-edits, proofreads and ghostwrites for customers across a wide variety of genres, from young adult fiction to business management. He is a self-proclaimed “journalism junkie” who also enjoys baseball and the aviation industry.
jmorris@pondtrademag.com
twitter – @pondtrade
Grant Gerke,
Digital Editor
Grant is a media writer and content developer for many industries, including the oil and gas, food and beverage, automotive and renewable energy spaces. He has developed online products and content for the last fifteen years for many web sites in the business-to-business and -consumer space, such as Core Interior Design, Automation World and Packaging Digest magazines, Gold Rush Girls, EV Parade, Teslarati.com and Inside EVs. Grant is a member of Wired Journalists, Folio Media Pros, Search Engine Watch, Fox Valley Electric Auto Association and runs a boutique online content development agency, called Accelerated Content. He loves to bike on empty forest trails in the summer and plays in the snow out West in the winter.
grantgerke@gmail.com
twitter – @grantgerke