Meet the Staff

Editor, Scale Model Brands Group

Tim Kidwell has been a hobbyist all his life: scale models, radio-control cars and planes, and tabletop board and role-playing games, he's done it all. His first stint at FineScale Modeler lasted from 2011-2015 when he left to pursue other publishing opportunities. He returned to FSM in 2019. When not building scale models, he spends his time writing and enjoying life with his wife and children. 

Editor

Aaron has been making models of one kind or another since he was six and built his first model -- a race car of some sort put together with help from his grandfather. He grew up in Australia and graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane with a degree in journalism and history. After moving back to the United States in 1994, Aaron worked as a reporter and photographer for newspapers in Texas and Arkansas, before joining the FSM staff in August 2006. He will build anything that grabs his fancy, particularly commercial airliners, Russian armor, and anything science fiction.

Assistant Editor, Digital

Kendra hails from the Chicago area and loves animals, especially dogs (her family’s 17-year-old Peekapoo, Yoshi, ranks at the top). She loves creativity and enjoys dancing, singing, and drawing in her free time. Kendra also appreciates a good mystery story and is an avid consumer of comedy content from YouTube and Tik Tock to sit-coms and stand-up specials.

Editorial Associate

Monica has been a member of the FineScale editorial staff since 1982. Aside from keeping the operations of the magazine office running smoothly, she is also responsible for the magazine's New Product coverage. Monica lives in the Milwaukee area with her two teenage children, and a large cat named Zion. When she can find some free time, she enjoys weekends in northern Wisconsin, boating, entertaining, and gardening.

Assistant Design Director

Scott started at Kalmbach in 2007 as a graphic designer and has since then worked on Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Trains, and Scale Auto magazines. When away from his computer, Scott enjoys traveling with his family, grilling/cooking and golfing … when the temperamental Wisconsin weather allows it.

Design Director

Tom started at Kalmbach in 1998, as an Assistant Art Director of Trains and Model Railroader. Since then he has become the Design Director for other Kalmbach titles, including FineScale Modeler. In his free time, Tom enjoys photography, kayaking, fishing, camping and, well, pretty much anything outdoors.

Corporate Art Director

Since joining Kalmbach Publishing Co. in 1996, Mike has art directed several of the company’s titles, including FineScale Modeler. In his current role as Managing Art Director, he oversees the design of FSM by working closely with the editorial and design staffs. Mike built his first model kit, a P-38, when he was about ten with help from his older brother–who then talked him into blowing it up with a firecracker. Although his current passion is for auto modeling (he builds review models for FSM’s sister publication, Scale Auto), he admits he still loves anything that rolls, floats or flies and has gun barrels sticking out of it.