WORK EXPERIENCE 2010 – 2015 American Bar Association, Chicago, IL Book Production, Senior Specialist: Responsible for 70-100 titles per year from manuscript to bound book. Prepared cost estimates for each book. Helped determine whether books should be typeset in house or by outside full-service compositors. Selected printer based on capability and pricing; if book was typeset in house, selected copyeditor, proofreader, and indexer. Kept acquisition editors, marketers, and designers up to date on book schedules. Responsible for the majority of eBook conversions and QA process, also uploaded titles to host server and tested downloads as needed. Conducted RFPs (requests for proposals) to determine contracted vendors, including printers, compositors, indexers, copyeditors/proofreaders, and CD-ROM manufacturers. Negotiated prices with manufacturers and shepherded contracts through approval and signing process.
2007 – 2010 Worldcolor (formerly Quebecor World), Schaumburg, IL Estimator: Reviewed incoming magazine and catalog quote requests from sales representatives. Completed all quote request against company benchmark pricing, reviewing for accuracy and how the project will be printed and bound. Assessed all quotes for profitability. Followed up with sales team to review status of quotes. Maintained and updated price schedules for continuing customers. Prepared bid packages as needed for high-volume projects.
2005 – 2009 Primerica Financial Services, Oak Brook, IL Division Leader: Worked one-on-one with clients to help them make and save money, reviewing their finances with them and developing a plan to help them gain debt freedom and financial independence. Developed a team of employees, teaching them how to work with clients, as well as regulations and information on life insurance, loans, and investments. Contacted and interviewed candidates for part- and full-time work on my team. Licenses: Illinois life insurance license, Series 6 and 63 securities licenses.
2002 – 2005 Sourcebooks, Naperville, IL Senior Print Buyer: Responsible for purchasing printing and binding for 100 Sourcebooks, Casablanca, Hysteria, Landmark, and MediaFusion titles. Obtained quotes from a pool of over 15 different printers plus second quotes for lower pricing, and award titles after reviewing with director of production. Issued weekly status report on all active titles, and monthly cost analysis showing year-to-date freight, alteration, and jacket/CD package die costs. Obtained pricing and awarded all three bi-annual company catalogs, as well as all POP and floor displays. Supervised production coordinator, responsible for ordering bound galleys, reprints, and all non-book printed materials. Obtained competitive scale prices and awarded Sphinx titles by trim size on an annual basis.
2000 – 2002 The Quarasan Group, Chicago, IL Project Manager: Responsible for production of K-12 pupil editions, teacher editions, and ancillary products from manuscript to final text files. Issued regular schedules and conducted weekly conference calls with clients; reviewed budgets on a weekly basis; tracked progress of texts with page team, image team, Quarasan editorial staff and client; performed quality control check on texts at all stages. Supervised team members and reviewed their work upon conclusion of each project. Worked directly with clients reviewing all changes between A printing (for adoption) and B printing (final edition distributed to schools) of pupil editions, teacher editions, and ancillary products.
1993 – 2000 Von Holtzbrinck/St. Martin’s Press, New York, NY Senior Production Manager; Associate Director of Production, Trade Division: Responsible for 150 titles per year from manuscript to bound book, in a variety of imprints (SMP, Griffin, Picador, Tor, Holt). Prepared preliminary and final cost estimates; selected typesetter, jacket, and text printers; followed up with production editors, text design and jacket art departments, and editorial staff. Estimated all odd-sized and lead title proposals for P&L statements. Created at-a-glance estimate guidelines for 5-1/2” x 8-1/4” and 6-1/8” x 9-1/4” hardcover and paperback acquisitions. Supervised four production managers, responsible for production on nearly all first editions. Assigned responsibility for SMP, Picador and Griffin titles. Acquired and supervised paper inventory. Designed estimating and schedule programs on Microsoft Excel.
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook; some knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint. Type 70 words per minute. • Freelance copyediting, proofreading, and slugging. • Freelance trading card writer: NBA Hoops 1992-93, Series 2 – various limited-run cards. NBA Hoops 1993-94, Series 1 – various limited-run cards. NBA Hoops 1993-94, Series 2 – 85 percent of regular set. Disney Premium, 1995 – entire set, including limited-run cards, as well as set compilation. • Turnstile magazine, 1994-96 – non-profit literary magazine based in New York. Duties included editorial board, writing and placing print advertisements, maintaining fiction log, distributor contact. • Thorough knowledge of baseball, football, American history, television and music history, and pop culture.