Tag: Dan Van Gorp

(Nashville, TN) January 8, 2021—Announced today, LaTasha Estelle and Shawn LeBar will lead a newly divided sales focus for the independent retail channels at HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus. To better accommodate the unique needs of indie bookstores across the nation, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus will now have separate teams to manage its Christian-based independent retail accounts and general market, or ABA (American Booksellers Association) bookstores.

“HarperCollins Focus is a fast-growing business with a positive market response,” said Dan Van Gorp, senior vice president of Sales. “We must be able to accommodate the needs of our retail channels in unique ways, ensuring that we are tailoring how we communicate and present titles. Readers will continue to shop and remain loyal to both, however, the consumer experience at a Christian indie bookstore is very different from a general market indie.”

Estelle, with more than 20 years in sales at HarperCollins Publishers has been promoted to sales director for ABA Indies and Libraries for HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus. Previously she was the key accounts manager for brick-and-mortar retail working with Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Hobby Lobby, Ingram, and more. She will now oversee sales and marketing efforts for the ABA Indie and Library channel.

LeBar will join the company on January 24, 2021 as sales director, CBA Indies after spending nine years working in the inspirational gifts industry. LeBar is a sales-veteran with more than 25 years of sales experience, most recently at Christian Art Gifts as sales manager.

“I am excited for both LaTasha and Shawn to begin leading our company at this capacity,” continued Van Gorp. “Both have exceptional sales experience and a deep understanding of the retail market. They will work alongside one another to ensure that our independent retailers remain critical in our community and to all of bookselling.”

Contact:   Casey Harrell

                  Senior, Director, Corporate Communications

                  tel:   615.902.1109

                  web: [email protected]

Senior Vice President of Sales Tom Knight announces his retirement; Dan Van Gorp promoted to lead role

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) (September 30, 2020)—HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) and HarperCollins Focus (HCF) today announced a change in its sales organization, with the planned retirement of senior vice president (SVP) of Sales, Tom Knight at the end of the calendar 2020. Dan Van Gorp, current director of Independent Retail Sales, has been promoted to fill this role and will begin working with Knight on a transition plan effective immediately. Van Gorp will oversee the entire organization’s trade sales operations and will sit on the company’s Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to president and CEO, Mark Schoenwald.

Van Gorp began his career with Zondervan in 2003 as an account executive and was promoted to manager of Independent Retail Sales for HCCP when the company integrated with Thomas Nelson in 2012, before moving into his current role. As SVP of Sales, Van Gorp will be responsible for setting the organization’s overall sales goals and growing its footprint in physical and online retail, as well as with book distributors. He will continue developing and maintaining partnerships with key industry stakeholders, authors, agents and staff. Van Gorp will be relocating to Nashville, to be based in the company’s corporate office.

“I am excited about this opportunity and the challenges ahead as we continue to look for ways to partner with retail in providing great content,” said Van Gorp. “It has been a wonderful journey for me which began working in a bookstore. With each new step over the course of my career, I have tried to seek understanding and look for new and innovative ways to share our content.  Over the past few months, I have gained clarity on various nuances of our overall business and the significance that our sales organization has in fulfilling the company’s mission to inspire the world.”

“I am thrilled for Dan to lead the HCCP and HCF sales organization,” says Tom Knight. “He is deeply loyal to the mission, and I believe in his ability to grow and develop new relationships across the business. I am grateful for the past thirteen-and-a-half years and am looking forward to this next stage of life, spending more time with my family.”

Mark Schoenwald commented, “Dan has spent his career working with one of our most dynamic sales channels, spearheading various programs to support our independent retailers and Christian bookstores. He has led a team of sales reps across the country, each with their own unique regional customer perspectives. This experience will translate well into his new role.”

Schoenwald continued, “Tom has accomplished a great deal throughout his tenure, including growing our sales organization to be the largest in the inspirational publishing industry with a diversified global retail network. We will miss him, but we thank him for all he has contributed and wish him well for a healthy and happy next phase of life.”

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing: As the world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., comprises the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups, BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com and ChurchSource.com.  The company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio and digital content for the Christian market space.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For more information please visit www.harpercollinschristian.com.

About HarperCollins Focus: HarperCollins Focus, LLC owns and operates a collection of publishing imprints, that enlighten and empower readers to transform their hearts and minds, connecting through story, advice, mentorship and community. The company is based in Nashville, TN. For more information please visit www.harpercollinsfocus.com.

Contact:    Casey Harrell

                  Senior Director, Corporate Communications

                  tel:    615.902.1109

                  web:  [email protected]