Media Contact: Samuella Becker Pace University/Public Information 212-346-1637 or 917-734-5172 sbecker2@pace.edu

Publishing Technology Pioneer Michael Healy Named Pace University’s First David J. Pecker Visiting Professor

NEW YORK, October 29, 2009 – Michael Healy, who was recently announced as the first Executive Director of the Book Rights Registry, set up as a result of the Google Books Settlement, is involved in yet another “start-up” this year – as the inaugural David J. Pecker Visiting Professor for Pace University’s Masters in Science in Publishing Program. Healy has long been at the forefront of publishing technology.

The professorship is funded by David J. Pecker, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Media, Inc. (AMI). AMI is the leading publisher of celebrity and health & fitness magazines including Star, National Enquirer, Shape and Men's Fitness. The company's holdings also include Distribution Services Inc. (DSI), the leading supermarket in-store merchandiser. Pecker, a 1972 graduate of Pace, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University's Lubin School of Business.

"I couldn't imagine a better choice than Michael Healy as the first participant in this exciting new Pace program," said Pecker. "His work in protecting the rights of authors and publishers, as well as his insight into the future of digital as it relates to the printed page, make him ideally suited for this visiting professorship."

As the David J. Pecker Visiting Professor, Healy will give two annual lectures, mentor students and participate in some corporate training sessions. He brings to the Pace classroom 25 years experience in the book industry. For much of his career, he has been involved in the development and management of standards for the book industry and its supply chain, with particular focus on standards for product identification, metadata and electronic commerce.

“David has been very generous over the years in developing a sizable scholarship fund and now this professorship,” said Sherman Raskin, Director of Pace’s M.S. in Publishing Program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. “He is a true friend of Pace and its publishing program. We appreciate his as well as Karen Pecker’s commitment.”

In May 2009, Healy was named as the first executive director of the Book Rights Registry, a non-profit organization to be set up as a result of the Google Books Settlement. In this role, he will represent the interests of rightsholders whose works are covered by the Settlement, locate rightsholders to enable their participation in the Settlement’s benefits, and administer payments due to them from Google and, in the future, other parties. He will also oversee the database organization for all the works digitized as part of the Program (which currently includes more than 7 million books.

“The Google Book Settlement” will be the focus of Healy’s first lecture. The “by invitation only” event (press can cover but must RSVP in advance) will take place on Monday, November 16 at the Midtown Executive Club, 40 West 45th Street, from 6 to 8 pm.

Healy was formerly Executive Director of the industry organization Book Industry Study Group (BISG).a non-profit membership body established in New York more than 30 years ago to improve the efficiency of the book industry through standards, research and information. Before joining BISG in 2006, he spent seven years as Editorial Director of Nielsen Book Services, a leading supplier of information, transaction and market measurement services to the international book industry. He has also been Chairman of the International ISBN Agency as well as director of Book Industry Communication and the International DOI Foundation.

“Michael has been involved with us in the past, but presently is in a very important place to work with publishers and Google on this very important settlement,” added Raskin. “Our students realize that to succeed, they must become environmentally-challenged as the pressure to ‘green the presses’ mounts and digital is considered a viable alternative to a paper-intensive industry.”

Commenting on the appointment, Healy added: “I am delighted to be associated again with Pace’s Publishing Program and to be working with Professor Raskin, his first-class team and students. I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity to learn as well as to pass on some of my experience.”

About Pace’s M.S. in Publishing Program

Founded in 1984 with 24 students in its inaugural class, the program – celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – has 150 students taking courses both in the classroom and online and nearly 400 alumni working in the industry worldwide.

An Advisory Board is comprised of accomplished authors, editors, and senior executives from such publishers as McGraw Hill, Pearson Education, Condé Nast, and John Wiley & Sons who take an active role in keeping the curriculum current with the needs of today's industry.

Experienced publishing professionals work closely with students, adding variety and excitement to classroom discussions with their own current perspectives on the industry. The program’s location in New York City, “heart of the publishing capital of the world,” enables the program to recruit top experts from virtually every field of publishing as adjunct faculty members.

Internship placements with leading magazine and book publishing houses provide opportunities for students to build on their knowledge with hands-on experience. For more information about the program, visit www.pace.edu/dyson/mspub

About Pace University

For 103 years Pace University has produced thinking professionals by providing high quality education for the professions on a firm base of liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York metropolitan area. A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lienhard School of Nursing, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. www.pace.edu

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