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Dominitz is New ABA Executive Director
Jim Milliot -- 10/27/97
Avin Mark Dominitz, who has been serving as interim executivedirector of the American Booksellers Association since Bernie Rath stepped down as executive director in February, has beenappointed to the position fulltime starting Jan. 1, 1998. Dominitz's appointment was approved by the directors at the ABA'sOctober board meeting, at which the board also approved the association's five-year strategic plan.
Dominitz, who has a three year contract, told PW that when hetook over as interim director he had no intention of seeking thejob fulltime, but changes his mind when he realized the "full weight of the issues" facing independent booksellers. He said theposition has "totally energized and excited me. I think I canmake a positive contribution to the association."

Dominitz, who had run a practicing trial law firm, became a bookseller in 1979 and merged his store with the Harry W.Schwartz Bookshops in Milwaukee in 1984. Dominitz first became anABA board member in 1988 and after serving as treasurer and vice-president, served as president from June 1994 to June 1996. Asinterim director, Dominitz played a major role in the ABA reaching an agreement with Penguin over its discountingpractices.

Dominitz will cease active participation in the Schwartzbookshops and his stock in the company, which is in his wife'sname, will be put into a trust. Dominitz will also end hisconsultancy arrangement with Ingram.

Dominitz said that his first major project will be to write anaction plan to help implement the points featured in the ABA'snew strategic vision. Dominitz called the strategic plan a "superb document that lays out an ambitious effort." The majorpoints of the plan focus on advocacy, the establishment of aseries of partnerships and alliances; education, training, andskills development; research; systems and software development;business support services; and the creation of new businessmodels.

Dominitz said he thinks the future of independent booksellersis more positive than it has been in a number of years. "Independent bookselling is alive and well and I intend to d verything and anything to maintain its rightful place in thebookselling and publishing world," Dominitz said.
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