Robert Krakoff; executive was chairman of Cahners Publishing

At 71, Robert L. Krakoff had tried to step aside from his decades-long career as an executive in publishing and communications companies, but retirement never quite took.

"I play golf," he told Folio magazine in August. "I have a 25 handicap. . . . If I were to retire and play golf five times a week, making all those mistakes would be mental torture. And I've always enjoyed business, so why stop doing it."

Mr. Krakoff, the president and chief executive of Nielsen Business Media in New York City, died of a heart attack March 23 in his Boston residence. He also had homes in New York City and Palm Beach, Fla., and had spent many years running Cahners Publishing in Newton.

"He was such a force in the trade business," said Jack Loftus, senior vice president for communications at The Nielsen Co., the corporate parent of Nielsen Business Media, which runs 42 trade publications and more than 100 trade shows and conferences. "He had a personal touch with everything. Everybody knew him. He spent time making sure the publishers, the editors, the reporters -- everybody knew who he was."

At an age when many opt for a more relaxed life, Mr. Krakoff show no signs of slowing down, Loftus said, relating an anecdote about a recent company gathering.

"He was on the go 24/7," Loftus said. "I was sitting next to him at a management meeting, and he's got his head down and he's working his BlackBerry under the table. . . . This was about two days before he died. That's the kind of person he was. He was involved; he was always completely engaged."

"Bob was a wonderful friend and a valued adviser," David L. Calhoun, chairman and chief executive of The Nielsen Co., said in a statement. "A publishing industry veteran, Bob was a consummate professional."

Born in Pittsburgh, Mr. Krakoff graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and from Harvard with a master's in business administration.

"And he never forgot his roots in Pittsburgh," said his son, Roger, adding with a chuckle that his father was a fan of the "Rocky" movies. "He enjoyed Rocky one, two, three, four, and five. He didn't think the sixth one was so hot."

Earlier in his career, Mr. Krakoff was president, chief executive, and a director of a travel company in Chestnut Hill, his son said, and had worked as an executive with Ford Motor Co., Trans World Airlines, the Singer Corp., and RCA.

In 1973 Mr. Krakoff moved to Reed International PLC, an international publishing company, and became vice chairman and a director of the organization.

He also was chairman and chief executive of Cahners Publishing, a division of Reed. Cahners, a dominant player in the trade publications industry, had been a publishing institution for many decades in the Boston area.

Reed merged with the Dutch firm Elsevier in 1993.

Mr. Krakoff left the company in 1996 and became chairman and chief executive of Advanstar, an international communications company.

Mr. Krakoff was executive chairman of Advanstar for a year and a half before retiring at the end of July 2004.

To stay active, his son said, Mr. Krakoff formed Blantyre Partners, a management and investment company based in Boston, for which he was chairman and chief executive.

In a collaboration with the Blackstone Group investment company, Blantyre negotiated a private equity buyout of VNU Business Media, the parent company of publications such as AdWeek, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter. Mr. Krakoff ran a division of the business that was renamed The Nielsen Co.

"He had a wealth of people that he mentored in this industry, an incredible amount of people whose careers he launched," his son said, adding that through his career, Mr. Krakoff helped expand the concept and presentation of trade shows, which have become an important part of industry.

In a May 2005 interview with Expo magazine, Mr. Krakoff explained some of his philosophy when asked whether he had tips for those selling business properties.

"Yes, I've put up a sign in my office: 'If you've got something to sell, we'd like to talk,' " he replied. "Seriously, do your homework. You don't want to say to someone, 'I've got this for sale,' and expect him to sort out exactly what's there. Also, have a plan for the business. I'm not buying yesterday's earnings. What you're really buying is tomorrow's earnings."

He added later, "Also, be candid about any problems and what has to be done to fix them. That isn't a sign of weakness. No business is perfect."

"He lived his life very well, and it ended on a high note," his son said. "He truly was an inspiring individual, in terms of helping people and also in leading people."

In addition to his son Roger, Mr. Krakoff leaves his wife, Sandra; another son, Reed of New York City; a daughter, Hope of Milton; five granddaughters; and two grandsons.

A service has been held.