James Jordan Retires as Director and President of Columbia University Press

He’ll still be with us for a few months but here is the official announcement regarding our director’s impending retirement:

James D. Jordan today announced his retirement as President and Director of Columbia University Press, effective September 1, 2013. Jordan came to Columbia in January 2004 from Johns Hopkins University Press where he served as Director and from W. W. Norton where he ran college publishing.

During his term at Columbia, Jordan led a new strategic effort to deepen the Press’s connections to the faculty to bring more of Columbia’s intellectual efforts to readers around the world. By launching the Columbia Business School Publishing imprint, reinvesting in life science publishing, economics, recent American history, and international affairs, and developing new book series with the Columbia Journalism Review, the Press added new strengths to its longtime strengths in the humanities, grew significantly, and greatly improved its visibility among the top Presses. Adjusting to increasing demand for digital products, Jordan also led the Press through the recent economic downturn by implementing a new e-publishing and print distribution strategy that brings Columbia authors to English readers simultaneously on publication around the world.

“Jim has been a very effective steward at the Press during the last nine years,” said Columbia Provost John Coatsworth, “We are truly indebted to him for the professionalism and vigor that he brought to the table, both as an editor and as a colleague who helped guide so many authors, bringing their ideas and words to life on the printed page and beyond.”

Concurrent with his Columbia position, Jordan also served on the Board of the Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division of the Association of American Publishers. Under Jordan’s guidance, the Press evolved its prior local warehousing operation into a collaborative fulfillment model with Perseus Distribution which continues to serve itself and its distribution partners in North America. In addition, he strengthened faculty investment in the quality of the program through close collaboration with the Faculty publication committee.

The Provost will be working with the Board of the Press to ensure a smooth transition to fill this position.