Business News
Gordon Crovitz, Former Wall Street Journal Publisher, Joins Blurb Board Of Directors
Thursday 04. September 2008 - Andrew Zolli, innovation thought leader and branding expert, continues Board service
Blurb, the creative book publishing platform company, today announced the appointment of Gordon Crovitz, the former publisher of The Wall Street Journal to its Board of Directors. Additionally, Andrew Zolli, the curator and executive director of Pop!Tech, has agreed to continue to serve on the Blurb Board. Zolli has been a Board member since Blurb was founded in 2005.
“2007 was truly a breakout year for Blurb with nearly $10M in revenue and over 90,000 unique titles, momentum that has helped us to become profitable in 2008,” said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO of Blurb. “The opportunity to add a business and publishing leader of Gordon’s caliber to our board is truly once in a lifetime. As a driving force behind bringing print into the Digital Age, Gordon understands the unique intersection of digital and print media, and will be a huge contributor to Blurb’s continued success.”
Gordon Crovitz served as executive vice president of Dow Jones, launching the company’s Consumer Media Group, which seamlessly integrated global print, online, TV & digital platforms of The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch.com and Barron’s. He also led the redesign of the Wall Street Journal, defining what a newspaper should be and how it should function in the digital age. Gordon is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Chicago and received a law degree from Yale Law School, previously earning a law degree as a Rhodes Scholar from Wadham College of Oxford University.
“I’m delighted to join Blurb’s board, and I look forward to advising on its continued success,” said Gordon Crovitz. “Blurb’s brilliant technological innovations have given everyone the power to become published — a power that until recently was reserved for the few. The talented team at Blurb has made it possible for people to create, express themselves and share their passions through a book, which is becoming an even more valued medium in the Digital Age.”
Andrew Zolli, a three-year Blurb Board member, is an expert in global foresight and innovation, defining the connections between the complex trends of technology, innovation and demographics that shape our future. Andrew is the Curator and Executive Director of Pop!Tech, the renowned thought leadership forum and social innovation network. He also serves as a Fellow of the National Geographic Society, where he is leading development of an initiative to engage the public in a global conversation about the long-term future of the planet and its peoples. A man of the future, Andrew has been ably advising Blurb on where to focus its efforts for explosive growth. His strategic insights have been invaluable in developing the total Blurb experience and his continuation on the Board will certainly drive continued innovation.
“I’m amazed at the progress Blurb has made to this point, and am so excited to participate in the next several years of growth,” said Andrew Zolli. “The promise of Blurb over the last three years has become real, and as a futurist it’s exciting to look forward to contributing to what’s next.”
To create and publish a Blurb book, all users start by downloading Blurb BookSmart(TM) software from the Blurb Web site. Blurb’s BookSmart software is free, runs on a Mac or PC, and offers a wide variety of book layouts created by professional book designers. Blurb delivers the permanence and impact of commercial-quality books, with the speed and flexibility of the Internet. Using Blurb, customers enjoy complete creative control, no minimum orders, edit on-the-fly capabilities, mass customization, and global distribution.