wfn.org | Publishing House reorganizes executive staff

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 26, 1999 News media contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{388}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Publishing House has
reorganized its executive staff in an effort to improve lines of reporting
in the agency.

The changes will be effective Aug. 1, said Neil Alexander, president and
publisher. "Most of these changes involve lines of accountability between
unit managers and executives - and little change in the actual work or
structure of units at the operations level."

All of the market business units will report to Harriett Olson, vice
president of product development. Olson will continue to serve as book
editor and editorial director.

The sales business units will report to Don Sherrod, vice president of
sales. He will also be responsible for seminars and church assistance,
providing disaster assistance to congregations and support for new churches.

Marc Lewis will be vice president of business and marketing services. He
will be responsible for marketing communications, strategic planning
coordination, external alliances and continuous improvement of business
services.

Judy Smith is moving into the new position of executive director for product
development and associate editorial director. She will report to Olson.
Smith, who had handled communications, will continue to manage the
Publishing House's World Wide Web site, at www.umph.org, and will serve as
the team leader for special and emergency communication needs.

Holly Caldwell has been named coordinator of communications and will report
to Karen Roberts, executive assistant to Alexander. 

Pat Correll, vice president of curriculum sales, is leaving after 25 years.
Though her current assignment will end Aug. 1, "the end of her term of
employment is under consideration and not yet determined," Alexander said.
The agency's announcement stated that Correll would be leaving the
Publishing House "to pursue other ministry interests."

Correll's position has been eliminated, and two managers' positions have
been discontinued, Alexander said.

"From time to time, executive assignments for specific departments and units
change," Alexander said. "The most significant degree of such change
occurred three years ago," when the market business units and sales business
units were established, he said.

Amid the latest changes, the Publishing House also is searching for a
permanent successor to Louis Jordan, who left as vice president of
information technology earlier this year. An interim vice president is in
that position. The information technology area is not directly affected by
the reorganization, Alexander said.

The reorganization is not expected to have much effect on overall staff at
the Publishing House, which employs about 1,100 people. "We do not
anticipate more than customary changes in the number of staff," Alexander
said.

In terms of sales, the Publishing House is ahead of last year's performance
by $754,608 as of the end of the third quarter. The agency's fiscal year
ends July 31.

Key projects under way include the development of  new Sunday school
curriculum for children; new Vacation Bible School materials; additional
volumes of The New Interpreter's Bible; Christian Believer (a new study of
core Christian beliefs in the Disciple family); and the Cokesbury.com
Internet store; along with changing the agency's computer software to make
systems year 2000 compatible, Alexander said.

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