Ann Regan, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Historical Society Press (MNHS Press), is retiring on Sept. 3 after a 46-year career at the book publishing division of the Minnesota Historical Society. After graduating from the University of Montana with bachelor's degrees in history and the Russian language, Regan headed to the Twin Cities, where she began at MNHS Press in a temporary job as a research assistant and worked her way up through the ranks. On the occasion of her retirement, we spoke with Regan about her long career, why she stayed at the press the entire time, and how publishing has and has not changed since 1978.

You have worked at MNHS Press for 46 years. Why would you, a Montana native, want to work for an organization devoted to Minnesota history, and how did you end up as editor-in-chief?

I was lucky. I moved to St. Paul in 1977, right out of college, because I wanted to try living outside of Montana and my big sister was here. I qualified for a federal jobs program, and applied just when they needed researchers. I had a couple of opportunities for promotion when other people left the press, and that helped keep the work interesting.

The Twin Cities area has a large and vibrant publishing community, and a lot of people move around. You are a rarity, having stayed with the same press your entire career. Why?

I have the best job in town. Working in regional publishing is deeply satisfying. I go home every day knowing more about the place where I live. I believe that the work is important—that people become better citizens when they know the histories of their communities. Plus, I have great colleagues.

From your perspective, how has the publishing industry changed over the past 46 years?

In some ways, everything has changed. Computers and email have made me a much faster (and more legible) editor. E-books and digital printing make possible so many more books. But relationships and intellectual engagement still sit at the heart of publishing. Authors trust editors with truly precious projects, and we have to do our utter best for them.

How has MNHS Press changed in the last 46 years?

When I started, we had a small staff that created some of the three or four books we published each year. Over the years, with smart new colleagues and hard work, we've become a powerhouse of regional publishing. We're now publishing 15-20 books a year, so we can still give each one our careful attention.

How many books have you edited at MNHS Press? Do you remember the first book that you edited? Do you have a favorite book and a favorite author that you worked with?

I've done developmental edits on about 280 of the approximately 350 I've acquired. My job has shifted through different eras, and for a number of years I didn't do much editing. My first book was a pictorial history of the Twin Cities, now out of print. But the book that made me an editor was The Days of Rondo, Evelyn Fairbanks's memoir of growing up in St. Paul's Black community. She showed me that an editor and author could tease, and argue, and truly enjoy working together to make a book better.

Looking back on your career, what are you most proud of? Any disappointments?

I'm proudest of the books that have done the most work in building stronger citizens: our Native American list and titles like A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, edited by Sun Yung Shin. They deliver insightful history and stories that help people understand each other on a deeply human level. I also edited Dear Jacob: A Mother's Journey of Hope by Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker. It is simply amazing to be trusted with editing these books.

Disappointments? Some books I loved didn't sell as well as they should have. I'm sad when beloved colleagues leave MNHS Press. But the setback that seemed disappointing at the time—my failure to become director when I applied for the job more than two decades ago—actually saved me from fulfilling the Peter principle.

What are you going to do after September 3?

I'm not sure, but I know I'll figure something out.

Regan is being fêted this afternoon, Aug. 28, with a reception at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Cake and coffee and other light refreshments will be served, and the program includes presentations by MNHS Press director Kent Whitworth, MNHS emeritus librarian Patrick Coleman, and authors Anton Treuer and Diane Wilson.