2019-09-09 Publishers Weekly

HONOREES

congratulates

the following IBPA Members

for their

PWStar Watch nomination

Independent Book

Publishers Association

ibpa-online.org

IBPA’s vision is a world where every

independent publisher has the access,

knowledge, and tools needed to

professionally engage in all aspects

of an inclusive publishing industry.

We look forward to what Amanda and Rob,

Marissa, Greg, Bethany, Brian, Clay, and Nick

will contribute to this promising future!

Amanda and Rob Broder

COFOUNDERS, RIPPLE GROVE PRESS

Marissa DeCuir

PRESIDENT, PARTNER,

JKS COMMUNICATIONS

Greg Hunter

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR,

LERNER PUBLISHING GROUP

Bethany Marshall

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR,

MORGAN JAMES PUBLISHING

Brian Skulnik

MANAGING EDITOR, ROSETTABOOKS

Clay Stafford

PRESIDENT, CEO, FOUNDER,

KILLERNASHVILLE/CLAY STAFFORDBOOKS

Nick Thomas

SENIOR EDITOR, LEVINE QUERIDO

BRENT TAYLOR

Literary agent

Triada US, Sewickley, Pa.

A

t 23, most people are

barely beginning their

careers, but according

to Uwe Stender, who

hired Taylor as an intern when he

was just 18, “Brent has had a

remarkable career.” That might be

because it seems Taylor had no

learning curve—he was already at

the summit. “When I saw his first reader’s report he wrote in his

internship role, I knew instantly that I would offer him a job the

moment the internship was up,” Stender says. Lucky for both that

he accepted. Stender credits him with building the company’s for-

eign rights program from scratch to one that works with “the

crème de la crème of foreign agents.” Taylor has brokered several

six-figure deals and auctions. In July he sold at auction Suzanne

Park’s first adult novel, Loathe at First Sight, to Morrow in a two-

book deal. Earlier, in April, he sold Park’s #OwnVoices debut YA

rom-con, The Perfect Escape, which follows a Korean-American teen.

EMILY TYLER

Digital product manager

Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, Md.

E

mily is a driving force in the digital innovation underway

at Rowman & Littlefield and is having a material effect

on the fortunes of this leading independent publishing

company,” says Oliver Gadsby, president of the aca-

demic and professional division. Tyler was integral to the launch

of the company’s Select Collections platform, which provides

access to research and provides libraries with a flexible way to build

e-book collections. She handles everything including managing

the RFP process, creating demos for librarians, participating in

contract negotiations, and sales presentations. Gadsby also praises

her “excellent people skills,” which, in combination with her

understanding of digital tech-

nologies, production processes,

and editorial quality, have made

her a valuable asset to the com-

pany. On top of all that, Tyler

never misses a deadline, always

pushes her projects to comple-

tion, and “has a cheerful, open

manner that persuades others to

follow the course she has set

out,” Gadsby adds.

“