Lance Fensterman Named BEA Show Director

On Tuesday, April 4, BookExpo America announced the appointment of Lance Fensterman as show manager. Fensterman, who was most recently store manager for R.J. Julia at Elm Street Books in New Canaan, Connecticut, will report to Courtney Muller, group vice president at Reed Exhibitions. He will begin his job at Reed Exhibitions on April 10.

Announcing Fensterman's appointment, Muller, said, "I am delighted that Lance will be leading BEA. When I met Lance I was struck by his innate ability to create products and environments that address the needs of the markets he is serving. His proven leadership abilities and creative talents will bring tremendous energy to BEA."

Prior to managing R.J. Julia Books at Elm Street Books, Fensterman was general manager of Bound to Be Read Bookstore in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has been a member of the American Booksellers Association's Booksellers Advisory Council, and he has shared his expertise in selling nonbook product with other booksellers as a panelist at ABA's Winter Institute and at last year's BEA.

ABA COO Oren Teicher said, "We look forward to working with Lance on BEA. As a former bookseller and ABA education panelist, he has a unique understanding of what BEA means to independent booksellers."

"As an attendee of Book Expo America for the last three years, I am thrilled to be associated with both the show and Reed Exhibitions in this new position," said Fensterman. "A bookseller and entrepreneur at heart, I hope to bring a new perspective to the show. My proverbial office door, and my mind, will always be open to new ideas and innovations for the show. I can't wait to begin serving my team members here at Reed and my constituents in the book and publishing industry."

Fensterman's career in sales and marketing began in the early 1990s in the hotel industry and encompassed positions at both an independent hotel management company and a major chain in the Washington, D.C. area. In 1999, Fensterman launched a dotcom business based in northeastern Ohio, and just a few years later, also in northeastern Ohio, he created North Perk Coffee House, LLC, which he sold in 2003.

Fensterman is replacing Chris McCabe, who left Reed Exhibitions in February.