Experience

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  Candlewick Press

  • United States
  • Book and Periodical Publishing
  • 100 - 200 Employee

  • Director of Product Development and Imprint Operations

    • Mar 2023 - Nov 2023

    • Was moved into this newly created position to utilize my strong skills in developing novelty book formats and sourcing printing and manufacturing for a new very young imprint in the Walker Books Group with high margins that will sell well around the world; developed, sourced printing, and quoted a multi-year pub list before my position was eliminated in the U.S. and moved to the UK offices.• Lead manager of the list in terms of deciding format, specifications, publication dates, and liaising with all of the various departments involved in launching a new list.• Operationally led the management of the third-party imprints (Nosy Crow, Templar, and Big Picture Press) also distributed by Candlewick, handling 50-60 titles per year and working on scheduling, costing, running P&Ls and setting retails, finalizing specifications, purchasing, proofs and advances approvals, and safety testing.

  • Executive Director of Production and Manufacturing

    • Jun 2008 - Feb 2023

    • Responsible for annual purchasing of 11 million books per year while upholding our margin requirements and inventory turns.• Supervised a staff of 8 production team members (grew from 5 during my tenure) and assigned them to categories where they could best use their strengths while cross-training the entire team to be able to handle all types of books.• Managed the annual $200K sales materials budget, negotiating a reduced cost of lithos and bound galleys to enable us to get more materials for more titles to increase sales while keeping within our budget.Primary responsibility for achieving excellent margins and use of creativity, financial analysis and critical thinking skills to initiate margin improvements while maintaining quality; uphold company policy on green manufacturing and ethical sourcing of vendors; maintain safety standards and compliance with CPSIA; negotiate price scales and volume rebate programs with our domestic printers; supervision and hiring of Candlewick book production team and liaising with Walker book production team as needed for both frontlist and reprints; supervision and hiring of production controller for promotional materials for marketing and sales; supervise the production of all sales materials (bound galleys, lithos, mini print runs) and manage annual budget for sales materials; establishing departmental policies and procedures; coordinate development of intricate pop-up books and attend assembly checks in Asia to ensure quality and precision of assembly; quote, schedule, purchase and press check Candlewick catalogs; attend monthly status group meetings to update on state of affairs in production for the group board; manage relationships with our imprint partners Bonnier (Templar and Big Picture Press) and Nosy Crow, including all cost negotiations, product development and specifications, purchasing and coordination of around 50-60 titles per year.

  • Sales and Marketing Services Director

    • Aug 2007 - Jun 2008

    Supervision and hiring of designers, copy writers and production controller for promotional materials for marketing and sales; review and approve designs; coordinate and approve budget for all items; work with freelance designers to develop animated book trailers; quote, schedule, coordinate all aspects of and press check Candlewick catalogs; design and purchasing of POP displays; sourcing and development of plush to be used in merchandising and retail.

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  Ideals Publications

  • Nashville, TN

  • Director of Production

    • Nov 2006 - Jul 2007
    • Nashville, TN

    Coordinating the production of all Ideals books (picture books, board books, sound books, novelty books, and fiction books) and marketing products (catalog, point-of-purchase pieces) domestically and overseas; work with editors and designers to develop specifications; quote jobs and select vendors; contract and price negotiations; running P&Ls; scheduling jobs and issuing purchase orders; reviewing proofs, attend press checks to approve color; reviewing final product prior to shipment.

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  Dalmatian Press

  • Greater Nashville Area, TN

  • Vice President of Production

    • Nov 1999 - Mar 2006
    • Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Managing production and purchasing of over 300 frontlist products per year, including children’s coloring books, picture and story books, Bibles, toys, bath books, plush, art supplies, cassettes, and packaged products domestically and overseas; design and purchasing of POP displays; managing budget and schedule for each product; establishing departmental policies and procedures; managing departmental budget; working with vendors to establish volume rebate programs; vendor selection and price negotiations; approval of all cost analyses and purchase orders; responsible for purchasing over $20 million in inventory each year; hiring and supervising production managers and coordinators; observing and maintaining inventory in warehouse and off-site for backlist product; establishing rates with freight carriers and forwarders for truck, rail and ocean freight; press checking domestically and overseas to ensure print quality; checking matchprints, ozalids and bluelines for accuracy; proofreading; new product development (2005-2006 spent 25% of time in China developing new product); attending tradeshows domestically and overseas to source new vendors and assess trends in the industry.

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  Tommy Nelson, the children's division of Thomas Nelson

  • Nashville, TN

  • Director of Production

    • Mar 1997 - Nov 1999
    • Nashville, TN

    Coordinating production of 90+ annual frontlist children’s books, Bibles, videos, CDs, cassettes, toys, and packaged products domestically and overseas; obtaining estimates; selecting vendors; running P&Ls; managing budget and schedule for each product; issuing purchase orders; press checking to ensure print quality; observing and maintaining inventory in warehouse for backlist product; hiring and supervising production assistants; managing departmental budget; checking matchprints and bluelines for accuracy.

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  Bone Music Magazine/Tuned In Broadcasting/WRLG/WRLT

  • Greater Nashville Area, TN

  • Production Manager

    • Jun 1995 - Sep 1996
    • Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Creating, setting up and enforcing production schedules for magazine in Nashville and affiliates nationwide; coordinating all aspects of production for monthly issues and special publications; press checking all affiliate versions; layout, design and dummying ad pages; working with editors on editorial dummy; ad design; working with clients on ad copy, design and proofs for Nashville version; production of self-promotional advertising for both radio stations and Bone; selecting vendors and purchasing printing, film engraving, silkscreening; cost estimates; proofing colorkeys and matchprints; some print advertising sales and affiliate sales; supervising art director and freelance graphic designers; scheduling and preparing jobs for art director; magazine circulation and distribution; affiliate relations; creating affiliate handbook; training new and existing affiliates in magazine production.

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  Capital Engraving Co.

  • Greater Nashville Area, TN

  • Customer Service Representative

    • Dec 1994 - Jun 1995
    • Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Writing up job tickets and organizing materials to enter new jobs into the plant; following up on progress of job to ensure it is completed on time; communication with customers; building new customer relations; organizing/tracking information for job billing; knowledge of all facets of film engraving; shipping via domestic and international express services and domestic flights.

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  M Group

  • Greater Nashville Area, TN

  • Print Production Manager / Art Director

    • Mar 1994 - Nov 1994
    • Greater Nashville Area, TN

    • After the closure of Brumfield-Gallagher, Inc., five of us from the creative area joined together to create the M Group. • Assisted in creation of the M Group by establishing new vendor relationships and setting up payment terms.• Responsibilities included estimating cost and length of time to produce jobs for clients; selecting appropriate vendors; purchasing printing, silkscreening, film engraving and various other services; proofing bluelines, randoms, color keys and matchprints; doing press checks on all printed pieces to ensure quality for clients; selecting papers• Assisted Creative Director by handling the graphic design and layout, mechanical art and preparing files for output for several projects per month.

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  Brumfield-Gallagher, Inc.

  • Greater Nashville Area, TN

  • Print Production Manager / Art Director

    • Nov 1992 - Mar 1994
    • Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Estimating cost and length of time to produce jobs for clients; selecting appropriate vendors; purchasing printing, silkscreening, film engraving and various other services; proofing bluelines, randoms, colorkeys and matchprints; doing press checks on all printed pieces to ensure quality for clients; selecting papers, doing some graphic design and layout, mechanical art and shooting stats; hiring and supervision of production assistants.

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  Inove Graphics

  • Kingsport, TN

  • Graphic Designer

    • Jul 1992 - Oct 1992
    • Kingsport, TN

    Copywriting, designing, typesetting, layout, paste-up of all types of printed pieces including brochures, menus, magazines, advertisements, logos, business cards, etc.; outplay from Varityper; shooting PMTs; working with clients.

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  Business Journal of Upper East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia

  • Blountville, TN

  • Production Manager

    • Jun 1988 - Jul 1992
    • Blountville, TN

    Coordinating all aspects of production for monthly issues, special sections, and special publications, including press checks; layout, design and dummying of all publications; copywriting and design of ads; working directly with clients on ad copy, design and proofs; design of self-promotional specialty advertising pieces, forms, business cards, rate cards, etc.; photography; advertising sales; hiring and supervision of production assistants.