ECPA's Rush To Press

KEN WYTSMA TO KEYNOTE ECPA PUBu 2016
Eleven industry leaders on “PUBu Brain Trust” to develop 40 training sessions
for Christian publishing’s premier networking
and training event ScreenShot2016-06-16at1.03.36PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PHOENIX, ARIZ., June 17, 2016 — ECPA announces Ken Wytsma — author, innovator, and social entrepreneur –  as keynote speaker of PUBu 2016 held October 13-14 at Trinity International University in Chicago. The event gathers nearly 200 Christian publishing practitioners for a networking and training intensive each year.  In his opening and closing sessions, Ken will touch on imagination, intentional creativity, and innovation, and how these elements can help publishing professionals be more successful at doing meaningful work.  

Wytsma is the author of Create vs. Copy: Embrace Change. Ignite Creativity. Break Through with Imagination and founder of The Justice Conference—an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations relating to biblical justice and God’s call to give our lives away.

In addition to Wytsma, the PUBu program will include 40 training sessions within five major publishing areas developed by a stellar cast of industry leaders called the “PUBu Brain Trust.”  The 2016 Brain Trust was recruited and is led by IVP Associate Publisher and Director of Sales & Marketing Jeff Crosby, who will assume the helm of InterVarsity Press as publisher on July 1.

“We have expanded the Brain Trust to make it more diverse in its network and composition, while representing key areas of publishing worthy of a deeper dive at PUBu,” states Crosby.  “The hours this team is devoting to this event reflect their individual commitments to this industry and their fellow colleagues.”  

Serving on the PUBu Brain Trust in the following publishing areas are:

DESIGN

  • Kristen Ingebretson, Senior Art Director, HarperCollins Christian
  • Erik Peterson, Creative Director, Moody Publishers 

MARKETING

  • Laura Bartlett, Academic Line Manager, Kregel Publications 
  • Parker Hathaway, Audience Development Specialist, Moody Publishers 

READER ENGAGEMENT

  • Edward Gilbreath, Exec. Director of Communications, Evangelical Covenant Church 
  • Terry Glaspey, Senior Acquisitions Editor, Harvest House Publishers

DATA, DELIVERY, WORKFLOW

  • Kristen McLean, Director of New Business Development, Nielsen Book
  • Joshua Tallent, Director of Outreach & Education, Firebrand Technologies

EDITORIAL

  • Carolyn McCready, Executive Editor, HarperCollins Christian 
  • Joyce Dinkins, Executive Editor, Our Daily Bread

“PUBu is truly an investment in the industry by the industry,” states ECPA executive director Stan Jantz.  “We are grateful for the time and expertise that Jeff and these ten professionals are investing for the bigger vision of equipping industry practitioners for the Kingdom mission we all share.”  

The conference theme, a variation on Wytsma’s book Create vs. Copy, is: IGNITE CREATIVITY. 

ECPA is also debuting the Emerging Leaders scholarship program, sponsored by NIelsen Book, in order to invest in new and diverse voices in the industry. Publishers are invited to nominate from their ranks those who would be new to PUBu and represent a “voice from the margin.”  More information is on the ECPA website.

PUBu registration, schedule, and information is now available on the new PUBu website. 

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization, comprised of nearly 200 member companies worldwide, representing a combined revenue of nearly $1.4 billion. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building Networking, Information, and Advocacy opportunities within the industry and across multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content.

For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org, ECPA.org.

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Media contact:

Stan Jantz, ECPA Executive Director

sjantz@ecpa.org  480-966-3998