knox group publisher Doug Knox Senior VP & Group Publisher doug knox As senior vice president and group publisher, Doug s most important task is hiring exceptional people and delivering the corporate resources they need to do amazing things. Doug also spends time thinking about growth strategies, budgets, policies, and profit margins while contributing to the senior management team at Tyndale. Doug and his wife, Cheryl, have two married children and one grandchild, all in the Chicago area. linda vergara Linda Vergara Group Operations Manager Beth Vargas Administrative Assistant Linda joined Tyndale in November 2007 as Doug Knox s executive assistant and was promoted into her current role of group operations manager in 2012. Linda enjoys the fast pace and variety in her job, and her organizational and management skills help optimize results from our publishing activities. Linda brings a variety of work and ministry experience to her role and holds degrees from Wheaton College and Wheaton College Graduate School. beth vargas Beth came to Tyndale in 2008 and joined our publishing team in 2011. As administrative assistant, Beth contributes greatly to a smooth-running, efficient operation. Beth holds a degree in journalism from Western Illinois University.
bible team Blaine Smith Associate Publisher Tyndale s commitment to Bible publishing is at the core of who we are today. It all began when Ken Taylor started paraphrasing the Bible so his young children could understand Scripture. His initial work later led to Living Letters and The Living Bible. In 1997, Tyndale launched the New Living Translation, which quickly became one of the most popular Bible translations in the English-speaking world. Tyndale is now home to the bestselling study Bible, the Life Application Study Bible; the bestselling annual reading Bible, The One Year Bible; and the bestselling Bible for people in recovery, The Life Recovery Bible. We are committed to making the life-changing truth of Scripture accessible through innovative notes and features and the fresh clarity of the New Living Translation the most widely read dynamic-equivalence translation available today. Jeffrey Smith Director of Marketing Mary Chapman Director of NLT Strategic Alliance blaine smith Associate publisher Blaine Smith leads the Bible Team s publishing and marketing efforts. He blends over 15 years of Bible and Christian education publishing experience with practical ministry application gained through six years of pastoral staff ministry. Before joining Tyndale, Blaine directed Christian education curriculum publishing for a major denominational publishing house. Blaine is passionate about publishing biblical resources that bring Scripture to life in fresh, relevant ways. Blaine holds a master s degree in business administration and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and religious studies. jeffrey smith Jeffrey Smith serves as director of marketing for Tyndale Bibles. He brings over 20 years of marketing experience to his role, including 10 years in Bible marketing at Tyndale. He manages New Living Translation brand messaging for all online, print, and radio communications. He works with a talented team to develop and execute marketing strategies that drive Bible sales and increase the ministry impact of every Bible that Tyndale publishes. Jeff is an essential part of Tyndale s partnerships with Christianity Today, K-LOVE and WAY-FM radio networks, and Group Publishing. His recent efforts in social media have made the NLT a leading translation in this emerging market. Jeff holds a master s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and a bachelor s degree, with honors, in marketing. mary chapman Mary Chapman, director of NLT strategic alliances, has over 20 years of experience in Christian retail management, corporate training, and publishing. In addition to her responsibilities with Tyndale s strategic alliances, Mary leads Tyndale s African American initiative, the creation of Bible training for Tyndale s retail partners, and the design and launch of nationwide ministry-focused campaigns. In her spare time, Mary is pursuing a bachelor s degree in biblical studies. continued on reverse...
Kevin O Brien Acquisitions Director Kim Johnson Bible Line Manager Brian Gee Senior Product Manager kevin o brien As the acquisitions director for the Bible team, Kevin O Brien is responsible for leading a cross-departmental team in the conceptualization and implementation of best-in-class products across Bible categories. Kevin brings a diverse background to the Bible team: master s degrees in divinity and theology; doctoral work in philosophical theology; time as a youth pastor; and over 10 years in the Christian publishing world, including five years as the book, Bible, and music buyer for Lemstone Christian stores. kim johnson As Bible line manager, Kim Johnson handles the complex reprinting, repackaging, and new-binding side of Tyndale s Bible business. With over 300 products in the line, Kim s job requires a high level of organization and coordination. Kim has worked on Bibles and Bible reference products at Tyndale for over five years. She considers it a privilege to work on Bible projects every day and is humbled to know that she plays an important role in making God s Word accessible, especially through Tyndale s clear, easy-to-read New Living Translation Bibles. Kim collaborates on a daily basis with various departments around the company: design, editorial, manufacturing, typesetting, and many others. Most of the Tyndale Bibles you see on the shelves today have been touched in some way by Kim s careful eye for detail and her passion for quality. Kim holds a bachelor of science degree in elementary education with a minor in Spanish. brian gee Brian manages the planning and development of digital products and marketing for the New Living Translation and Tyndale s Bible sub-brands. Brian s responsibilities also include mapping out the future of the New Living Translation in the digital sphere, managing the development process for all current New Living Translation e-products, and overseeing all digital marketing and socialmedia initiatives from conception through execution. Brian brings a unique blend of skills to his position. He has owned his own creative consulting company, developed major online platforms within Christian publishing, and worked in commercial photography, and he continues to teach as an adjunct professor of philosophy and religion at both community and Christian colleges. He holds a bachelor s degree in biblical languages from The Master s College and a master of arts degree in biblical exegesis from Wheaton College Graduate School.
impulse books/ specialty products Becky Brandvik Senior Director of Acquisitions and Product Development Tyndale s growing line of impulse-priced books not only introduces the New Living Translation to readers but also provides affordable resources to help people pray, grow, and receive God s blessing. The mission of our children s group is to create book concepts that encourage children to form deep relationships with their heavenly Father and at the same time experience joy-filled moments with family and friends. Tyndale s specialty products area grew out of the release of the McGee & Me! series in 1989. It paved the way for Christian children s video, with over 4 million units sold. Since the introduction of McGee & Me!, the specialty products areas have grown to include a full line of Bible, audio, DVD, and novelty items. becky brandvik As senior director of acquisitions and product development, Becky is passionate about building innovative brands that help people grow in their relationship with Jesus. She came to Tyndale in 1996 with experience in direct marketing and electronic educational publishing. During her time at Tyndale Becky has led the development of numerous products, including three editions of the New Living Translation audio Bible, children s Bibles and storybooks, impulse books, gift products, and DVD-video entertainment for kids. She especially enjoys retooling already published material to expand its reach into markets beyond traditional CBA channels. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design and a master of business administration degree from Marshall University.
focus on the family team Jeff Rustemeyer Senior Director of Focus Alliance Tyndale House Publishers and Focus on the Family began their publishing partnership over 30 years ago when Tyndale made a donation to Dr. James Dobson to help him start his radio broadcasting career. With the main goal of enriching marriages and families around the world, the Tyndale-Focus partnership has grown over the years and has produced many wonderful products, including the popular children s audio entertainment series Adventures in Odyssey and the award-winning Radio Theatre line of products, as well as a multitude of books, videos, and other resources for home and church. Linda Howard Product Development Manager jeff rustemeyer As senior director of the Focus Alliance, Jeff and his team manage Tyndale s long-standing Focus on the Family publishing partnership, which has seen many successes over 30 years, including Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel, Radio Theatre s adaptation of C. S. Lewis s The Chronicles of Narnia, and the highly popular Adventures in Odyssey children s audio drama series. With Tyndale since 2005, Jeff s prior experience includes a 15-year career in sales, marketing, and brand management within the consumer products industry, where he was responsible for strategic business development with large retail partners, including Walmart, Target, Sam s Club, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe s, and other top retailers worldwide. linda howard As product development manager for Tyndale s Focus Alliance team, Linda Howard is committed to producing quality products that positively impact the lives of those who receive them. With Tyndale House Publishers since 2006, Linda loves walking products through the publishing process. Her wide range of duties include providing input on proposals for acquisitions, managing the publishing process for Focus products, regularly communicating with the Focus on the Family team, managing contracts, and providing business-analysis information support. Her work experience prior to coming to Tyndale includes owning and managing her own preschool and helping to administer a large community music education program. Linda has a bachelor of music education from Livingston University.
production team As a Tyndale author, you re assigned resources that extend beyond the Tyndale Momentum and Editorial teams. This additional support includes an entire Production department of typesetters, designers, art directors, manufacturing staff, and product managers. design Tyndale Design is a diverse bunch of twenty-plus creative types. Their vast combined experience represents a melting pot of curiosity, promise, and possibility. They bring the experience of magazine design, book design, product design, copywriting, photography, and other skill sets to each project. We value how they see things, how they approach a challenge, how their design solutions communicate, and the impact their experience brings to each book design. We see design as a part of an overall conversation together, we have a great story to tell. typesetting In the design and production or books, Tyndale still believes in and relies heavily on craftsmanship. Our Typesetting team brings more than one hundred years of collective typographic experience to every book, balancing traditional craft with new technology. Working closely with the Editorial and Design teams, Tyndale s in-house Typesetting department melds craft, art, and technology. product managers Product managers oversee the production schedule of Tyndale s products, act as liaisons between the Production department and the rest of the company, and ensure the integrity of the product while striving to stay on schedule and maintain the bound book date. manufacturing The Manufacturing team helps bring our products to life by matching them with a select group of professional printers. Over the years, Tyndale s buyers have developed strong relationships with vendors, helping us meet even the most challenging printing schedules while ensuring high-quality, knock-your-socksoff final products. And then they make sure those products stay in stock so consumers can always get their hands on them.