Steve Fischer Named NEIBA Executive Director

The New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) has announced that Steve Fischer will become the association's new executive director.

Fischer, who has been working with the independent publisher Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari, has an extensive background in both bookselling and publishing. He began in the book industry as a bookseller at the Vermont Bookshops in Middlebury and Waitsfield, where he worked for six years. Fischer joined Harper in 1979 as the company's Mid-Atlantic sales rep, became the company's New England rep in 1983, and moved to the HarperCollins' New York offices in 1991 to work in the house's International Sales Department. He took over Harper's Barnes & Noble account in 1995. Three years later, he became sales director for Tuttle Publishing in Boston, and, following that, worked for a time at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

NEIBA President Allan Schmid noted in the association's announcement that "Steve brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience on both the bookselling and publishing sides of the business. He is very excited about [NEIBA's] Strategic Plan, and about shepherding it into reality," adding that "we are so excited to have him as NEIBA's new executive director."

Commenting on the announcement, ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz said, "We certainly wish Steve Fischer all the best in his new position, and we very much look forward to working with him and NEIBA in the coming months."

In August, NEIBA announced, with regret, the resignation of Executive Director Rusty Drugan due to health considerations.