Contact: Karen Steele

Grand Rapids, Mich. (June 7, 2013)—For the past fourteen years, Bobbi Jo (BJ) Heyboer has led Baker Publishing Group’s academic marketing efforts. She will be stepping down from this role in July to pursue an M.Div. degree from the University of the South School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee. Heyboer has worked in religious publishing for twenty-one years and has played a key role in establishing the Brazos Press division and in formulating creative methods for marketing Baker Academic and Brazos Press titles to academic and thoughtful readers. Heyboer states, “It has been a joy to connect authors and their books with readers over the last two decades. I am thankful to have worked with outstanding colleagues, writers, booksellers and media contacts who have shaped my career and impacted my life.”

Bryan Dyer will assume Ms. Heyboer’s leadership responsibilities effective July 18. Dyer had previously served as an academic publicist and Assistant Marketing Manager for Baker Academic and Brazos Press.  He received his M.A. in Biblical Studies (New Testament) from Denver Seminary and is completing his Ph.D. in Christian Theology (New Testament) from McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, ON, Canada.

“During her tenure with us, Ms. Heyboer has served with great distinction,” said Daniel Baker, Executive Vice President of Human Resources. “She will be missed, and we wish her the very best as she pursues a call to vocational ministry.” Added Baker, “We had a very strong group of applicants for the role of Ms. Heyboer’s successor, and we are thankful to be able to appoint Mr. Dyer to this position. He has our full support as he prepares to lead our company’s marketing services to our authors and the academic community.”  

“BJ will certainly be missed,” notes Jim Kinney, editorial director of Baker Academic and Brazos Press. “She’s played an integral role in shaping our programs to serve our authors and readers well. But Bryan is well equipped to succeed her. We eagerly anticipate the insight and energy he’ll bring in the months and years ahead.”

Baker Academic serves the academy and the church by publishing works that further the pursuit of knowledge and understanding within the context of Christian faith. Building on our Reformed and evangelical heritage, we connect authors and readers across the broader academic community by publishing books that reflect historic Christianity and its contemporary expressions. Our authors are scholars who are leaders in their fields, write irenically, and display a healthy respect for other perspectives and traditions. Our goal is to publish books that are notable for their inherent quality and deemed essential reading by students and scholars. For more information, please visit www.bakeracademic.com.

Brazos Press fosters the renewal of classical, orthodox Christianity by publishing thoughtful, theologically grounded books on subjects of importance to the church and the world. We serve authors and readers from all major streams of the historic Christian tradition, recognizing that the renewal of Christian orthodoxy transcends many traditional boundary lines and polarities. For more information, please visit www.brazospress.com.