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Feb 6 – Feb 12, 2012 Edition BISG Welcomes New Board Members
New York, New York (February 9, 2012) The Board of Directors of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) formally welcomed four new members to its ranks at a recent meeting in New York City. The appointment of all four members was unanimously approved by the full Board.
The new members include: Mark Bide, the Executive Director of EDItEUR, the global standards organization that maintains the ONIX standard and oversees the International ISBN Agency; Kyusik Chung, Vice President of Business Development at the leading social reading site, Goodreads; Dan Cullen, Content Officer for American Booksellers Association’s (ABA), the national trade group representing the interests of indie bookstores; and Sharon Lubrano, ProQuest Vice President and General Manager, Bowker, a leading provider of bibliographic information and management solutions. Mr. Cullen replaces Len Vlahos, who left ABA to become BISG’s Executive Director last fall, and Ms. Lubrano replaces Gary Aiello who left R.R. Bowker in December to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Bide and Mr. Chung were appointed to new Board seats.
“These additions to the Board,” said Mr. Vlahos, “demonstrate the diverse nature of BISG. Mark, Kyusik, Dan, and Sharon join Board members from large and small publishers, powerhouse retailers, technology companies, and more. By representing the full spectrum of the supply chain, BISG is perfectly situated to foster the kind of collaboration and communication needed to help meet the industry’s challenges.”
The BISG Board and Executive Committee are led by Co-Chairs Dominique Raccah, President and CEO of Sourcebooks, and Ken Michaels, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hachette Book Group. A full list of BISG Board members can be found online at http://www.bisg.org/about/board.php.
“Independent booksellers are appreciative and grateful for the important work that BISG does in terms of research, standardizing best practices, and education, which plays a critical role in helping to create a more informed and successful book industry,” said Mr. Cullen. “I’m honored to have an opportunity to help contribute to BISG’s efforts.”
“Bowker and BISG have worked together and share a mission to inform and streamline the connections between people and books, whether it’s through discovery, evaluation or supporting the supply-chain,” said Ms. Lubrano. “I’m delighted to continue this close relationship by serving on the Board. It’s an honor to be part of an organization that is an important partner to businesses in a time of extraordinary change.”
Mark Bide added, “Just as EDItEUR was delighted to welcome Len as a member of its Board in Frankfurt in October, I am very pleased to have been invited to join the BISG Board. This cross-fertilization can only help further to cement the already close relationship between BISG and EDItEUR. With the growth of digital, the need to facilitate sharing of data across national boundaries has never been greater; our joint commitment to the adoption of global standards is critical to all our stakeholders.”
About the Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG) is the U.S. book industry’s leading trade association for policy, standards and research. The mission of BISG is to create a more informed, empowered and efficient book industry supply chain for both physical and digital products. Membership consists of publishers, manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, librarians and others engaged in the business of print and electronic media. For more than 30 years, BISG has provided a forum for all industry professionals to come together and efficiently address issues and concerns to advance the book community.
Learn more about BISG at www.bisg.org.
