wfn.org | Publishing House Reorganizes

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3150 notes).

Note 3149 by UMNS on Sept. 4, 1996 at 15:52 Eastern (4868 characters).

SEARCH: UMPH, reorganization, sales, units, Alexander, new
structure
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                             435(10-71B){3149}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Sept. 4, 1996

United Methodist Publishing House
reorganizes staff; forms market units

by J. Rich Peck*

     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- In order to fulfill its mission
and improve customer service by better integrating staff functions
and controlling operating costs, the United Methodist Publishing
House, (UMPH) here, is reorganizing its 1,100-member staff into
nine market units, three sales units and 11 support units.
     The plan, announced Aug. 26 by United Methodist Publishing
House President and Publisher Neil M. Alexander, eliminates
existing divisions and assigns responsibility for the
administration of the new units to seven vice-presidents.
     "Our mission is to reach and serve more people in more places
with resources they will choose, use and value so that they may
come to know God, love God, and serve God and neighbor," said
Alexander.
     A four-year plan to reduce the number of employees by
approximately 60 positions for a total staff of about 1,040 by the
year 2000 was announced earlier.
     Sales at the publishing house for the fiscal year ending July
31 are anticipated to total $1.2 million more than the amount in
the same period last year but less than the amount budgeted.
     Alexander attributed most of the shortfall to declining
Church School curriculum sales. 
     The new organizational structure enables curriculum staff
members and editors with the same target audiences to work
together along with researchers, product managers, designers, copy
editors and support staff. 
     In the first stages of the new structure, the nine Market
Business Units will include personnel with the necessary skills
to: discern the needs of existing and potential customers;
assemble products and services people will choose, use and value;
communicate effectively with the intended audience regarding those
products and services; and employ effective methods to deliver
valued benefits to each audience segment through UMPH distribution
channels. These market units will work in tandem with the three
Sales Business Units and 11 Shared Resource Units.
     Target audiences include academic/professional customers,
adult study/general interest customers, Bible/reference
products/Disciple customers, children, youth, congregations,
connectional church groups including Spanish and Korean speaking
audiences, electronic product users and musicians.
     The Sales Units are: Direct Sales (telephone & mail order);
Events & Special Sales (including annual conference displays and
curriculum field sales); and Store Sales (Cokesbury Stores and
other booksellers).
     The Shared Resources Units are: accounting/financial
reporting and analysis; church and public relations; copy editing;
distribution services; human resources; information technology;
inventory services, customer database/advertising; production
services; property services; and research and information
services.
     The new structure also establishes a Corporate Planning
Council that is convened by the Publisher and comprised of the
executive staff, controller and other staff who will serve for six
months at the request of the publisher.
     Five additional councils will focus on editorial matters,
information/technology, marketing, sales and shared resources. The
structure also includes a Publications Approval Group, the body
that reviews business plans and oversees plans for product lines
and approved product designs.
     Vice Presidents responsible for administration of the units
are: Larry Wallace, Finance and Administration; Louis Jordan,
Information Technology; Marc Lewis, Direct Sales and Product
Management; Stephen C. Tippens, Human Resources and Church and
Public Relations; Patricia G. Correll, Events and Special Sales;
and Donald G. Sherrod, Store Sales. Duane A. Ewers, executive
editor of Teaching and Study Resources, will work with the
editorial vice-president/book editor who will be elected at the
Sept. 23-24 meeting of the UMPH Board here.
     Alexander explained that the new structure would continue to
be tested and revised as needed. Staff will be deployed in
accordance with skills required in each unit. It is hoped that
most staff assignments will be completed later this month. The
start-up of the units will begin after all staff assignments are
made.
                              #  #  #

     * Peck is editor of Newscope, the weekly newsletter for
United Methodist leaders produced by the United Methodist
Publishing House. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------