Len Vlahos, current COO of the American Booksellers Association, has been named executive director of the Book Industry Study Group. Vlahos succeeds former BISG executive director Scott Lubeck, who resigned from the position in May.
George Tattersfield, BISG treasurer and chair of its executive director search committee, said, ““Len will provide the leadership and vision we need in this period of significant change as BISG continues to supply research, education and standards that help keep the book ecosystem healthy.”
Vlahos has worked at the ABA for nearly 20 years and has extensive experience in bookselling. He helped develop and launch ABA’s Indie Commerce program, which puts indie booksellers online; directed the ABA’s ABACUS study, which created financial benchmarks for bookstores and he also oversaw the Winter Institute, ABA’s bookstore educational conference.
ABA CEO Oren Teicher praised Vlahos and congratuled him on the appointment, ““To say the least, we will miss him a great deal, but are delighted that the wider book industry can now benefit from his enormous talent and vast experience.”
"I'm honored and thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to lead BISG in its mission to create a more informed, empowered and efficient book industry for both print and digital products,” Len Vlahos said. “I look forward to helping the organization leverage its unique position at the center of the book industry to the benefit of our members, and I cannot thank the members of the Executive Committee enough for putting their faith in me."
