PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING


2005-2008: VP, Product Development, Language Arts, Holt McDougal@ Austin, TX.
Responsibilities are the same as below with revenue targets around $ 100 million+ annually for the largest product line in the portfolio.

Product and revenue responsibility: 7 grade levels (6-12) of secondary literature; 7 grade levels (6-12) of secondary grammar and comp; readers and niche-market products including technology. Total book bag includes over 800 ISBNs per program. Literature programs include pre-AP and AP-targeted materials. Majority of materials developed in K-4 and InCopy environment. Annual Investment for entire line in excess of $ 30 million. Both the Literature and the Grammar & Composition product lines are current market leaders.

Supervisory responsibility: 6 direct reports with a department strength of 65 in NY and Austin offices. Extensive communication and coordination with multiple institutional and individual vendors both in the U.S. and offshore.

Marketing responsibility: Working hand-in-hand with marketing director and product marketing, field marketing, and marketing communications staff to ensure product placement, competitive alignment and revenue success. This includes sales presentations, promotions and sales training.

Partnerships responsibility: In 2007, Holt management asked me to assist in securing the GED contract for the Adult Education/Supplemental company, Steck Vaughn. I was instrumental in securing that contract, amidst my other responsibilities (leading the development effort for seven levels of Literature and Language Arts programs for CA, FL, GA, open territory and 14 other states for releases in 2008), by forming a team to address the proposal issues, making presentations and establishing a solid, viable partnership relationship with agreed-upon deliverables with the GEDTS leadership.

2004-2007: VP/Editor-in-Chief, Language Arts & Social Studies, Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Product and revenue responsibility: Overseeing content development and market strategy for all grades 6-12 materials in two out of five core disciplines selling into the school channel in the U.S. and abroad. For Language Arts, Literature and grammar and composition programs, niche-markets and technology products, the book bag contains over 400 ISBNs per program; for Social Studies, each grade level is a different subject and between front and backlist, there are 12-14 major programs with ISBNs totaling 75-plus for each program. Pre-AP and AP-targeted materials were part of the program packages. Majority of materials developed in K-4 and InCopy environment. Annual development investment is in excess of $30 million with revenue targets totaling $150 million. The Social Studies product line increased revenue by approximately 125 percent in three years and is currently a highly competitive line nationwide.
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Supervisory responsibility: 6 direct reports with a department strength of 65 in NY, Boston and Austin offices for Language Arts; 2 direct reports with a department strength of 30 in Austin and Boston. Extensive communication and coordination with multiple institutional and individual vendors both in the U.S. and offshore.

Marketing responsibility: Working hand-in-hand with marketing director and product marketing, field marketing, and marketing communications staff to ensure product placement, competitive alignment and revenue success. This includes sales presentations, promotions and sales training. Primary liaison with Harcourt Education companies and cross-departments at HRW in leveraging strategies for revenue streams and new business growth.


2003-2004: product line director, advanced placement & electives, pearson prentice hall, pearson education. responsibilities are:

Product and revenue responsibility:Overseeing all higher education materials (customized or not from 5 Pearson college companies sold into the school channel in the U.S. and abroad. All disciplines plus electives. Total ISBNs in the 8000 (eight thousand) range. Revenue targets were in excess of $55 million annually in 2004.

Supervisory responsibility: 4 direct reports in a 7-person department. Extensive communication and coordination with multiple institutional and individual vendors both in the U.S. and offshore

Marketing responsibility: Securing strategies to maintain market leadership in existing markets. Identifying emerging markets and securing products and product-marketing strategies in liaison with numerous Pearson companies. Marketing director reported to me; marketing and sales liaison with the field was a joint responsibility, including sales presentations, training and daily liaison with field sales.

2000-2002: product line director, social studies, prentice hall, pearson education secondary group. responsibilities:

Product and revenue responsibility: Editorial and final product planning direction for all staff (35) and product development teams (8 teams) developing a market-leading product line. It was a $100+ million product line during my tenure. Includes print, multimedia, and Web-based content.

Supervisory responsibility: 6 direct reports with a department strength of 35 in Boston and New Jersey offices.

Marketing responsibility: In conjunction with Market Research, Marketing and Product Developers, preplanning for state adoptions and open territory sales campaigns; prework strategies for major sales campaigns.

1992-2000: executive editor, social studies, prentice hall, pearson education secondary group.
Supervision of product development teams for print and multimedia, including Web content, plus strategic planning, product marketing, field marketing support, and fiscal planning responsibilities.

special accomplishments
u Supervised multimillion-dollar product development budgets for products that are market leaders.
u Gained control of significant overall market share in secondary education (6-12) markets.
u Managed simultaneous development teams for multicomponent products that guaranteed on-time product delivery.
u Directed and analyzed market research (for both middle school and high school markets); developed product and marketing plans.
u Developed distinctive and compelling brand identity through superb field marketing sales support initiatives.
u Awarded numerous annual bonuses and cash awards for innovative product design and marketing.

1991-1992: managing editor, basic books, imprint of harpercollins publishers.
Complete editorial production management for over 75 books annually. Shared fiscal management responsibility with publisher.

special accomplishments
u Thoroughly overhauled product development and delivery processes.
u Increased number of products in a cycle while decreasing costs through numerous efficiencies.
u Increased sales support.
u Achieved 100 percent product delivery targets and increased overall annual profitability.

1987-1991: senior editor, prentice hall travel, division of pearson education (formerly simon & schuster general reference).
Editorial management of largest travel guidebook series in the world, including market-leader Frommer.

special accomplishments
u Supervised all manuscript editors, freelancers, and interns.
u Managed all product schedules, guaranteeing on-time delivery.
u Directed product development for over 80 books annually.

1986-1996: founder and publisher of turnstile magazine.
Founder and publisher of independent biannual literary magazine distributed nationally. Press clippings available on request.

special accomplishments
u Created from concept to market a biannual literary magazine.
u Staffed entirely by volunteers from the publishing industry.
u Published over 200 writers, poets, artists, and photographers.
u Won National Endowment for the Arts and state grants.

EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT AND WRITING

1983-1987 Senior production editor, st. martin’s press.
Supervised editorial quality of an average of 60 fiction and nonfiction books annually.

1981-1983 Managing editor, delilah books, distributed by g. p. putnam’s.
Supervised all phases of editorial planning and production for book packager of heavily illustrated books.

1981-1996 Freelance writer. Press clippings available.
Fodor’s India and Nepal travel guidebook, Small Press magazine, Publishers Weekly, Louisville Courier-Journal, Cineaste, MultiCultural Review, India Today, Imprint, Cinema India-International.

1981-1993 Freelance editorial services.
Clients included Henry Holt, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin’s, Cambridge University Press, Harper & Row, Facts on File, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Home Box Office, Quality Paperback Book Club, Viking, Warner, Avon, Atheneum, Pantheon, Harry N. Abrams.


COMMUNITY OUTREACH

1971-1998. For 27 years, I worked as a volunteer, advisor, and/or paid staff member in many community development programs. Detailed list of organizations and my roles available upon request.


EDUCATION

columbia university (1973). School of International Affairs. Completion of courses for M.A. in History (South Asian Economic History).
columbia university (1972). School of General Studies. B.A. in History and Political Science.
st. stephen’s college (1970). Delhi University. B.A. with Honors in History and Political Science. Fifth place in graduating class of over 250 students.