Experience

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  Wicks Educational Publishing (dba EMC, Paradigm, JIST)

  • United States
  • Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • CEO and President--EMC Publishing, Board Member--Wicks Educational Publishing

    • 2005 - 2013

    Provided strategic vision and thought leadership, integrating educational publisher EMC (and future acquisitions) into a newly-created educational division of Wicks Group, a private equity firm based in New York. Revived stagnant revenue growth and led a major transformation in corporate and sales culture. Championed a major business revitalization, leading a 9-member senior executive team. Achieved buy-in and led significant changes in organization, structure and culture to attain objectives in revenue growth and profitability.

  • Consultant

    • 2004 - 2005

    Brought on board by private equity firm Wicks Group to perform due diligence on EMC, a family-owned educational publishing firm and develop strategic plan for new fund venture. Leveraged extensive knowledge of the publishing industry to analyze projected sales revenue, product development costs, operating expenses and ROI. Recruited to lead the newly acquired firm. Retained as expert industry consultant when EMC merged with a firm specializing in parochial publications after seven successful years.

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  McGraw-Hill/Contemporary/Wright Group

  • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

  • President

    • 2000 - 2004
    • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

    Recruited by McGraw-Hill for key leadership positions with acquisition of Tribune Education: first as President of Contemporary (publisher of 6-12, college and adult basic education products), later as President of Contemporary and Wright Group (leading publisher of Pre-K 6 reading). Transformed corporate culture, constructing a single cohesive, high-performing organization within McGraw-Hill,. Created the strategic vision and branding message that unified the organization. Led revenue-generating activities including sales, marketing and product development.

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  Tribune Education (dba NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group)

  • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

  • VP and Publisher--Educational Publishing

    • 1996 - 2000
    • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

    Spearheaded sales, marketing and product development for all educational publishing. Led integration of two companies, National Textbook Company (NTC) and Contemporary Books. Consolidated product development and marketing services groups to realize cost reductions. Rapidly increased basal (textbook) revenue for the NTC imprint

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  Contemporary Books

  • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

  • Director of Educational Publishing

    • 1992 - 1996
    • Chicago, IL and New York, NY

    Hired for key position to build and lead the sales, product development and marketing divisions for a trade publisher entering the educational publishing sector. Achieved ranking as the market leader in school-based GED prep; created an innovative, dynamic computer-based GED prep program to compliment and increase book sales.