Press Release: BISG Industry Award Recipients in Four Categories Celebrate Those Driving a Thriving Industry

New York, NY (Sept. 19, 2014) BISG announced the recipients of its 2014 Industry Awards today at its Annual Meeting of Members in New York City.

Awards in four categories recognize the wide range of BISG and industry achievements that help smooth the processes that bring content to readers and help move a transforming industry forward.

The Most Valuable BISG Volunteer Award recognizes the recipient's commitment to solving industry challenges and finding new opportunities by working collaboratively with industry peers. It was presented to Kempton Mooney, Research and Analytics Director, Nielsen Book, for his work as the first Chair of the Thema Working Group of the BISG Subject Codes Committee leading the development of the BISAC 2013 to Thema 1.0 mapping, and for his work on the BISAC Subject Codes Committee. The shortlist included Jenny Bullough, Manager, Digital Assets at Harlequin Enterprises Ltd.; Patricia Payton, Senior Manager Publisher Relations & Content Development, Bowker; and Tzviya Siegman, Digital Book Standards & Capabilities Lead, Wiley.

The Industry Champion Award recognizes an individual whose efforts have gone beyond the requirements of his or her position to advance the publishing industry while embracing BISG's mission. It was awarded to Bill Kasdorf, Vice President, Apex Content Solutions, for his work as Chair of the Content Structure Committee and on its signature EPUB 3 Support Grid, his close involvement in the Committee's working groups, and his many broader efforts to improve standards throughout the industry. The shortlist included Graham Bell, Executive Director, EDItEUR; Maureen McMahon, President and Publisher, Kaplan Publishing; and Richard Stark, Director of Product Data, Barnes & Noble.

The Industry Innovation Award recognizes a company or individual who boldly reimagines what publishing is and can be. It was awarded to BitLit (represented by Peter Hudson, Founder & CEO) for its innovative bundling app that allows publishers to offer a discounted digital edition of a book the consumer already owns, regardless of the source of their purchase. The shortlist also included BookShout (Jason Illian, CEO); eBook Architects (Joshua Tallent, Chief eBook Architect); Library for All (Rebecca Macdonald, Founder and CEO); and Next Big Book (Alex White, CEO & Co-Founder).