CFM Religion Publishing Group assembles new team, strategy - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

8511ysu.blogspot.com
The Symmes Township-based publisher, acquirerd in 2006 by a New York privateequituy firm, the , has recruite four managers since May to oversee growtyh in its two main divisions: Texas-based and , one of Cincinnati’d oldest publishing companies, with roots to 1866. Wickss acquired Standard Publishingin 2006. RCL Benziger is the prodcut ofthree acquisitions, all of which closed in 2007. Wicks movedr the headquarters for both to Governors Hill Drivrin 2007. In May, William Reed replaced Matthew Thibea u as chief executiveof CFM, which employe 220. Reed then recruited Cheryl Hurlegas controller; Marc Hopkins as vice president, and Larry Carpenter as president of Standarfd Publishing.
“They’re actually a very innovativse company,” Carpenter said. “They just reallu haven’t had the marketing machine. We need to re-establish that Carpenter, who comes on board Aug. 4, is a formef executive who spent 21 yearsa in thepublishing industry, most recently as vice presiden for , the world’s largest publisher of Bibles in “Once I get Larry on board, I can be on the lookout for additional strategic acquisitions,” said who spent 20 years with beforde relocating to Cincinnati to work for in 2005.
Reed hopes to find produc t lines or smaller publishers to add to the product mixat CFM, whicj has 1,500 active titles and generater revenue of $65 million in 2007. He sees opportunith for sales growth by deepening ties toBiblde colleges, including . “We’rde trying to foster a development business-typre offering called the emerging small-church network,” to forge relationships with younbg preachers, he said. Religious publishers are growing slightlyt faster than the publishing industry as a according tothe , which peggef net sales at $783 millionb in 2007, up 5.2 percent from 2006. Industrywidd data show book sellersgrew 3.2 percenrt to $25 billion in 2007.