Nicole Mitchell, University of Alabama Press director since 1996, has been selected to succeed Karen Orchard as director at the University of Georgia Press in Athens. Mitchell will take over the job on October 1, the day after Orchard retires after six years in that position and 22 in a variety of other capacities at the press.
Hugh Ruppersburg, university professor of English and associate dean for arts and sciences as well as a member of the seven-member search committee that chose Mitchell, told PW, "The factors that played a key role in our decision were her expertise in all areas—both trade and nontrade—of scholarly publishing." Ruppersburg said UGP was impressed by Mitchell's administrative ability, her experience at a press that, while smaller than UGP, has a similar list, and her redirection of the press to achieve wider regional and national prominence.
Indeed, UAP's sales are half those of UGP. "Our sales in the last fiscal year were $1.5 million, while those at Georgia peaked three years ago at $3 million," noted Mitchell, who began her publishing career at Cambridge University Press in England and joined UAP in Tuscaloosa in 1988 as assistant editor. Under Mitchell's direction, UAP's sales have doubled, and its frontlist has increased 25% with, she said, "the same size staff [16]. We have 54 books planned for this year, up from 40 when I began, and a 500-title backlist." By contrast, "Georgia, with a staff of 28 and 900 backlist titles, is now averaging about 80 new books per year, down from 90."
Mitchell, who currently serves on the American Association of University Presses' board as well as the Publishers Association of the South's executive committee, cites UGP as "one of the three largest university presses in the Southeast, along with UNC and Duke." In addition to building on and enhancing the visibility of UGP's strengths in Southern history and literature, she's seeking to further develop a nature and environment list. Among her initial goals, however, is to fill UGP's now open marketing manager position.
