Rogers Publishing senior vice-president of business and professional publishing John Milne has been named the Magazines Canada Volunteer of the Year for 2009.

Milne has spent years volunteering in the industry and is active in a wide variety of community and professional organizations, including the Canadian Board of the Audit Bureau of Circulation, according to a Magazines Canada press release. “John’s been a great supporter of our association and a generous volunteer, focusing on uniting the industry and moving it forward,” said Magazines Canada board chair and Quarto Communications general manager Terry Sellwood. “He is much appreciated in the industry and well deserving of this honour.”

Beginning his publishing career with Maclean Hunter as an assistant editor in 1979, Milne has since worked for the Institutional Investment community as editor of Benefits Canada, led the building of the Advisor Services Group, and spent 10 years as publisher of The Medical Post. In his current position, Milne has built new and profitable revenue streams for Rogers’ diverse business media publishing operation, according to a press release.

The Magazines Canada Volunteer of the Year Award is given annually to the one individual whose outstanding volunteer contributions have a national impact on the Canadian magazine industry.

Milne will receive his award at the Magazines Canada Annual Luncheon on Thursday, June 3, 2010 during MagNet.