-By Lucia Moses

Greg Sullivan, who stumped onlookers when he launched Afar in the middle of a severe slump for travel magazines, has had to curtail his growth plans for the title.
 
At the time of launch last August, the first-time publisher had said he would grow the circulation of his self-funded magazine to 100,000 this year. Today, he announced that with the March/April issue, Afar would increase its rate base 50 percent to 75,000, where it will stay for the rest of the year.
 
Afar, which launched without a companion Web site, is taking steps to build a social-search digital product (a company rep would not elaborate on the product). To that end, Sullivan promoted Dan Orum to president from executive vp, managing director of digital operations.
 
Also promoted were Sullivan’s co-founder Joe Diaz, to vp, sales and brand development; and Derek Butcher, to chief architect and chief technology officer. Afar also brought on as a consultant Dawn Drew, who was let go in October as publisher of National Geographic Traveler.