wfn.org | Presbyterian Publishing Corporation Discusses Strategic Planning

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

22-August-1996 
 
 
96297      Presbyterian Publishing Corporation Discusses 
            Strategic Planning And Curriculum Transfer 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The board of directors of the Presbyterian Publishing 
Corporation (PPC) met here July 26-27 to discuss a number of issues, 
including strategic planning and the transfer of Presbyterian curriculum 
from PPC to the General Assembly Council (GAC). 
 
     Since PPC management had already started strategic planning before the 
curriculum transfer was authorized by the 208th General Assembly (1996), it 
was possible for PPC directors to participate in "visioning" under the 
guidance of Robert Feaster, former United Methodist Publishing House 
president and publisher and strategic planning consultant for PPC. 
 
     When asked what they desired PPC to look like in five years, directors 
brainstormed over various ways in which PPC could fulfill its mission as 
the denominational publisher for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 
 
     Key initiatives identified by the PPC board include expanding the 
scope of Westminster John Knox Press, developing a new multimedia product 
line that complements existing print resources, developing Geneva Press as 
an imprint for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and producing and 
distributing an array of congregational resources to serve the needs of 
PC(USA) churches. 
 
     The PPC board also learned that most features of the July 22 transfer 
of "Celebrate" and "Bible Discovery" curricula from PPC to the GAC were 
accomplished quickly. Twenty-six PPC employees were hired by the GAC in the 
transition. According to PPC officials, the financial arrangements between 
PPC and the GAC will be complete in about one year and involve "little, if 
any, exchange of cash." 
 
     "PPC is well served by the fact that the inventory and value being 
transferred will offset the $2.3 million long-term obligation to the GAC 
which resulted from our incorporation as a separate General Assembly entity 
in 1994," said Doug Deatz, PPC vice president. "The process has not been 
easy and is not over yet, but we can all feel good about a transition which 
is fair and win-win for PPC, the GAC and all of the PC(USA)." 
 
     The PPC board also heard from Ruth Reid, PPC human resources manager, 
who reported that there will be no downsizing of regular, full-time PPC 
employees as a result of the transfer. 
 
     "PPC has a strong, talented group of publishing professionals with 
many opportunities ahead of them," Reid said. "Also, due to the use of term 
employees before the transition and some creative rearrangement of job 
responsibilities in light of GAC hirings, the PPC staffing rationale as it 
exists today is stable and appropriate to the workload of PPC without PREM 
[Presbyterian Reformed & Education Materials] curriculum." 
 
     Additionally, the PPC board authorized management to cancel its 
contract with the Presbyterian Distribution Center, effective Nov. 1, 1996. 
PPC materials warehoused in Louisville will be located at Fulfillment 
Concepts Inc. (FCI), a professional Louisville firm specializing in 
distribution and direct mail fulfillment.  FCI is also used by the 
Presbyterian Foundation. 
 
     PPC officials said the location of PPC corporate offices will remain 
at the Presbyterian Center.  The PPC board considered three external 
locations for PPC's corporate offices before deciding upon the Presbyterian 
Center. 
 
     "It is our wish to remain connected within the family of General 
Assembly entities by being physically located in the 100 Witherspoon 
facility," said Price H. Gwynn III, PPC board chair from Charlotte, N.C.  
 
     PPC management was authorized to work with the Rev. Frank Diaz, GAC 
acting executive director, to relocate from the west wing of the first 
floor to a self-contained space on the smaller east wing of the second 
floor. 
 
     Finally, the PPC board unanimously reelected Gwynn to another one-year 
term as PPC board chair and William Longbrake to another one-year term as 
PPC board secretary. 

------------
For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 

--