Reasons for running for the position
As General Manager of Identifier Services at Bowker, I am leading the development, digital evolution and transformation of the Company’s value propositions for publishers, libraries and other stakeholders throughout the publishing supply chain.  This transformation has most recently included the launch of Bowker’s MyIdentifiers.com platform, a comprehensive title management and marketing platform featuring search engine optimization solutions, social networking marketing tools and interfaces and others designed to maximize online discoverability of books and to channel and facilitate e-commerce sales opportunities for publishers.  In this role, and part of Bowker’s core business focuses in the area of identifiers, I am also tasked with leading the ongoing development, advocacy, best practices enforcement and commercialization of ISO standards for the publishing industry, including the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), International Standard Text Code (ISTC), Digital Object Identifier (DOI), International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI), Standard Address Number (SAN) and Global Location Number (GLN).

Qualifications
I am a seasoned digital marketer, technologist and product development specialist with over 13 years of digital publishing, e-learning, interactive multimedia and web-based application development, marketing communications, public relations and advertising experience.  In my current role, and as part of the strategic development and commercialization process for all of Bowker’s new digital product offerings, I am intricately involved in the strategic research, business model validation and specification output processes, all which leverage new web 2.0 technologies and cutting edge programming languages.  Prior to joining Bowker, I served as General Manager, Electronic Media for Advanstar Communications’ Life Sciences Group. In this role, I worked collaboratively with continuing medical education (CME) leadership, editorial, sales and technology teams to advance Advanstar’s strategic focuses on interactive promotion, market intelligence and e-learning. His accomplishments include the successful commercialization of ModernMedicine.com, an leading interactive clinical decision support and CME portal for physicians and healthcare professionals, and helping to develop and position Advanstar’s successful ACCME accreditation initiatives for cme2.  Before joining Advanstar, I served as Executive Vice President at CPR Strategic Marketing Communications, a full-service healthcare/pharmaceutical marketing communications agency, and led the development of numerous award-winning online applications and web sites for pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations.  I have also published numerous articles and chapters on e-business, digital publishing and related topics.

General vision ideas for the IDPF
As stated on its Web site, The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) is a trade and standards organization dedicated to the development and promotion of electronic publishing. The work of the IDPF will foster and promote the development of electronic publishing applications and products that will benefit creators of content, makers of reading systems and consumers. 

 While a focus on the development of electronic publishing applications and products is of great need throughout the supply chain, I believe that the IDPF should expand its vision to include helping content creators and makers of reading systems to monetize and make content more discoverable, build relationships with readers and develop and implement digital strategies that build tangible, long-term success.  To do so, I believe that the IDPF must diversify its agenda beyond EPUB and standards, and leverage the innovative culture of its membership to operate regular conferences, forums and events which provide actionable insights in these proposed, expanded visionary areas.  Standards, however, should continue to an important focus of the IDPF, but standards should include others beyond EPUB – helping IDPF membership to navigate and apply traditional standards as well as new and emerging standards for business and consumer benefit.  Standards-focused agendas should include a focus on standards interoperability, leveraging strengths that have been adopted for decades while ensuring that new and emerging digital standards can accommodate what is, today, still predominantly a physical supply chain.  I believe that the IDPF should more actively partner with other standards and industry organizations like the AAP, BISG, NISO, IDF, the International ISBN Agency and others influencing the supply chain to promote and carry out these missions while continuing to stake its claim on key initiatives to which it supports.  This will perhaps ensure greater participation and take advantage of the combined and diversified influence these organizations have on a variety of key stakeholders while aligning such interests. Lastly, I would also suggest that the IDPF facilitates more frequent and regular events through web seminars, roundtables and online forums featuring member thought-leaders as well as non-member, Web 2.0 thought leaders from other related media industries who can share their key learnings, perspectives and insights which are likely applicable to the new vision.

Thank you for your consideration of me as a potential Board member. We continue to support IDPF 100% and look forward to an exciting 2009!