Tag: Don Jacobson

(Nashville, TN) August 18, 2022—Thomas Nelson today announced Andrew Stoddard will be joining as the publishing group’s new v-p, publisher of the Nelson Books imprint. Thomas Nelson is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, the world’s largest Christian publisher.  Stoddard, who previously served as the editorial director for Waterbrook & Multnomah, Christian imprints for Penguin Random House, will begin his leadership at Nelson Books on September 7, 2022. 

“It is an honor to step into this role at Nelson Books, an imprint with such a rich cultural, literary, and spiritual heritage,” commented Stoddard.  “I am looking forward to working with the talented team and our thoughtful agent partners to champion authors with powerful, life-changing messages. I am committed to leading this imprint to publish creatively compelling, commercially impactful, and consistently faithful books for our readers.” 

As the publisher for Nelson Books, Stoddard will be stewarding today’s most well-known Christian thought leaders, including #1 New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst and international bestselling author Max Lucado, both with new titles releasing this fall—TerKeurst’s much anticipated Good Boundaries and Goodbyes (November 8, 2022) and Lucado’s Help is Here (September 13, 2022). Nelson Books is also home to many New York Times bestselling authors including Bob Goff (Undistracted), Christine Caine (How Did I Get Here?), John Eldredge (Resilient) and many more.   

Stoddard’s nine-year tenure in publishing includes acquiring and working with  New York Times bestselling authors John Mark Comer, Michael Todd and Tim Tebow. He has seen titles published under his editorial direction receive esteemed honors such as the ECPA Christian Book Award for Christian Living.  He consistently appears as a top ten Deal Maker in all Nonfiction Religion for Publishers Marketplace and has been ranked as the #1 Deal Maker in that category.   

Don Jacobson, senior v-p and group publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing said, “It is my pleasure to now work with Andrew and welcome him to HarperCollins Christian Publishing. I’ve known Andrew for almost ten years and after identifying him early on as a rising star in our industry, I have kept a close watch on his career. Andrew’s strengths begin with his love for the written word and its ability to shape hearts and minds.  He is sincere in his dedication to authors, and he creates strategies that align with their ministry and organizational goals. Andrew is both strategic and a visionary; relational, genuine, and kind.” 

Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is a world-leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, children’s books, and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com. 

Contact: Casey Harrell  

VP, Corporate Communications 

[email protected] 

Webster Younce to be VP, Publisher and Paul Fisher to be VP, Marketing

(Nashville, Tenn.) June 22, 2020—HarperCollins Christian Publishing announced today it will be relocating the Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive imprints from Grand Rapids, Mich. to be based in its corporate office in Nashville, Tenn.  This will allow for sharing of best practices across the company’s trade book publishing program for both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups. At this time, the company will continue to maintain an office in Grand Rapids, Mich. where other Zondervan brands are based. Those brands include Zondervan Academic, Zondervan Reflective, Zonderkidz, and the Zondervan Bible Group.

“Creating a more cohesive structure for our trade book publishing imprints allows for us to manage our non-fiction brands under Don Jacobson’s leadership,” commented Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus. “We believe that having the Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive leadership in Nashville will help the teams better manage author relationships and allow them to collaborate on larger corporate initiatives.”

Leading the publishing strategy for Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive will be newly named VP and publisher Webster Younce.  Younce previously worked as the associate publisher and executive editor of Nelson Books, a Thomas Nelson imprint, for the past seven years with oversight on all editorial processes, and responsibilities acquiring and editing a full list of projects.  Younce also helped manage the imprint’s publishing functions, including market development, sales relations, and financial oversight. Throughout his time in this role he worked with New York Times bestselling authors including Bob Goff, Eric Metaxas, and John Eldredge; thought leaders William J. Bennett, R. Albert Mohler Jr., and Dallas Willard; and public figures Gary Sinise, Randy Travis, and Jessi Colter. Younce began his more than 20- year-publishing-career at Alfred A. Knopf and has held editorial roles for publishing houses at Picador USA, Arcade Publishing, Random House, Houghton Mifflin, Henry Holt and Company, and Simon & Schuster. He also spent two years at Suhrkamp Verlag in Berlin, Germany where was the editorial director for international and English-language literature.

Paul Fisher, previously senior director of marketing for the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan fiction programs will become VP of marketing for Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive. With both an extensive financial and product marketing background, Fisher has worked at HarperCollins Christian Publishing for four years where he successfully overhauled the reader, retailer, and industry engagement strategy across multiple channels. Fisher has developed and grown author relationships, working to help educate the importance of author platforms and audience segmentation. Throughout his tenure with the organization, Fisher has worked with New York Times bestselling authors Max Lucado, Charles Martin, Patti Callahan, Terri Blackstock and Lis Wiehl; and Christian fiction icons Colleen Coble, Melanie Dickerson, Beth Wiseman, Rachel Hauck, and Denise Hunter. Fisher’s diverse background includes various senior leadership roles at ConAgra Foods, Inc., Information Resources, Inc., Catapult Marketing, and Unilever. In the interim, Fisher will maintain his leadership role within the fiction team, as they transition to find a new marketing leader.

“As HCCP looks ahead, we are implementing plans throughout the company to strengthen our position in the marketplace as the leading Christian publisher across all genres,” said Don Jacobson, senior VP, publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing Trade Books. “We are thrilled to have Webb and Paul move into these leadership roles and join the Zondervan team. Both have worked alongside their Zondervan colleagues for a number of years and have a deep appreciation for the significance of the Zondervan brand, especially for the authors who have built its stellar reputation in the marketplace.”  

Zondervan Books is the flagship non-fiction publishing imprint for the Zondervan publishing group, publishing approximately 50 titles per year. Zondervan Thrive officially launched in late 2019 as an imprint specifically focused on personal development, health and wellness, self-care, marriage and family, abuse/trauma, anxiety, and personality typologies.

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing: As the world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., comprises the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups, Olive Tree Bible Software, 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.

Contact:   Casey Harrell

                 Senior Director, Corporate Communications

                 tel:   615-902-1109

                 email: [email protected]

(Nashville, Tenn.) November 7, 2019—Thomas Nelson today announced that Damon Reiss, former senior director for HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s (HCCP) custom and backlist program as well as the Christian bookstore key accounts and distributor channels, will become the v-p and publisher for its non-fiction imprint W Publishing. Reiss will lead the acquisition and editorial strategy in addition to marketing oversight for the imprint, reporting to Don Jacobson, senior v-p, Books Group publisher for HCCP. He will also be responsible for maintaining relationships with the strong roster of current W Publishing authors in addition to discovering and growing new Christian voices in the market.

Reiss has worked in the industry for nearly seventeen years, starting his publishing career as a tele-sales representative. In 2011, he began working for Thomas Nelson as a key account manager for Ministry Sales and in 2016 he was promoted to expand the company’s custom publishing program. As head of custom products, Reiss launched two line-extension programs, redeveloping and reengineering backlist products in an innovative way to appeal to new readers.  Reiss has continued to grow his career and industry acumen, collaborating with all in-house publishing teams on custom product initiatives, strategic promotional placement, and essential revised editions of books and Bibles. 

W Publishing has published the works of some of Christian publishing’s most impactful authors like Billy Graham, Dr. David Jeremiah, Louie Giglio, Levi Lusko, Emerson Eggerichs, Anne Graham Lotz, Pastor Robert Morgan, Lindsay Teague Moreno, and Jennie Allen. The imprint represents classic New York Times bestselling books Same Kind of Different As Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, The Noticer by Andy Andrews, Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo and more recent bestsellers including The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines, Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines, Racing to the Finish by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobel. In October, the imprint released Nerves of Steel by Tammie Jo Shults, Captain of Southwest Flight 1380 and one of the Navy’s first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots.

“W Publishing’s historical significance is preeminent in the Christian market and to build off of this success and legacy is an honor,” said Reiss. “I look forward to leading this talented team and shaping the future of W.”

“Damon has proven to be a critical component of HCCP’s fabric,” said Don Jacobson. “His experience as part of our sales team has allowed him to understand authors’ work from an angle we often take for granted.  Damon’s strategy will bring fresh direction to the W Publishing team and he has a rich understanding and passion for all our authors. Damon’s leadership is perfectly fitting for W Publishing and we are excited for the days ahead.”

Reiss will begin his position as v-p and publisher immediately, working to develop a short transitional period for his current role in the company’s sales custom product and sales division.

Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiples formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com

Nashville, Tenn. (September 30, 2019)—HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus today announced that Don Jacobson will lead the organizations’ book publishing programs as senior v-p and group publisher.  Joining the organization on October 7, Jacobson will be based in Nashville, Tenn., report to Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and will serve on the company’s executive leadership team.

In this role, Jacobson will be responsible for the strategy and direction for trade books and curriculum publishing for Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. In addition, Jacobson will oversee HarperCollins Focus’ publishing strategy and its expansion in the general market.  He will work with all divisions to meet goals, develop new business initiatives, and manage relationships with key authors, retailers, distributors, and staff.

Jacobson is a 35-year publishing industry veteran, with experience in owning and operating publishing companies, as well as representing authors as a literary agent. In 1992, Jacobson bought Multnomah Press which experienced substantial growth and employed more than 140 people eventually selling to Random House.  Jacobson then founded D.C. Jacobson and Associates, a literary management agency that represents authors such as Sarah Mae, Joel Manby, Jamie Ivy, Jess Connolly, and Myquillyn Smith.

“I’ve known of Don and his entrepreneurial approach to our industry for many years,” said Mark Schoenwald.  “He’s been successful in many different areas of the industry, from acquisitions to growing and selling a publishing company to helping launch the careers of well-known and admired authors. We’re excited for Don to join our team and lead this next chapter of our company’s story.  We believe his deep experience, leadership, and strategic thinking will be a great addition to our organization.”

“I cannot think of a more rewarding opportunity than to be part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus and the direction these companies are taking content creation in the inspirational space,” said Jacobson. “I am looking forward to working for a new company and using my industry knowledge and experience to be part of a great leadership team.  Because I have known and respected many of the leadership for many years, it almost feels like coming home.”

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing

The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., comprises the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups, Olive Tree Bible Software, BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com and ChurchSource.com.  The company produces bestselling Bibles inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio and other digital content for the Christian market space.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in the U.S. and Mexico.  For more information visit www.HarperCollinsChristian.com.

About HarperCollins Focus

HarperCollins Focus 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, visit www.HarperCollinsFocus.com.