Michael is an award-winning travel writer and photographer and co-founder / owner of HITravelTales.com. Michael served as the president of SNEWS (now Outside Business) from 2000 until 2012. Along with his wife and business partner, Therese Iknoian, he turned SNEWS from a niche publication into an industry-leading trade media business that Active Interest Media acquired in 2007. Prior to owning SNEWS, he worked as an editor for Outdoor Retailer and co-founded the trade show daily newspaper (now the OR Daily). He has authored more than 16 books and penned many hundreds of feature articles over the years and his byline has appeared in Backpacker, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Outside, The San Jose Mercury News, Portland Oregonian and more. His travels have taken him to all seven continents and all 50 states in the United States. He is a member in good standing with the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA), the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), TravMedia, and a media member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).