1517 Media, the publishing arm of the evangelical Lutheran Church of America whose book imprints include Beaming Books, Fortress Press and Augsburg Books, has acquired Lutheran University Press, also based in Minneapolis. Under the terms of the agreement, the 19-year-old religious publisher’s 75 biblical, theological, and general interest titles will be transferred to 1517 Media, and Lutheran University Press will become 1517 Media's fourth book imprint.
In a release, Will Bergkamp, 1517 Media v-p of business development said, “The legacy of LUP is an important one, and we are pleased to be able to support the work of these titles through this agreement. Over the years, LUP and Fortress Press have published a number of the same authors, and we’re excited that their work can be joined together under one roof.”
Karen Walhof, co-founder of LUP with Leonard Flaxhman and its current owner, said in the release, “I’m thrilled that the imprint and titles are now lodged at Fortress Press, with their progressive vision for book publishing and ongoing commitment to Lutheran authors and readers.”
None of LUP's employees are transferring to 1517 Media, which has close to 100 employees, and Walhof has no involvement with the press since the sale.
