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Richard E. Abel to Receive the Jack D. Rittenhouse Award
Award Presentation a Highlight of Publishers Association of the West’s National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show
Richard E. Abel, known as the “father of the modern day library approval plan” and founder of numerous publishing presses including Timber Press, has been selected as the recipient of the 2008 Jack D. Rittenhouse Award by Publishers Association of the West. The PubWest Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Mr. Abel, as this award honors those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the book community in the West. Mr. Abel was selected from a slate of nominees for having established vibrant and profitable publishing businesses that serve as a model to his colleagues.Board president Doug Pfeiffer of Graphic Arts Center Publishing said of Mr. Abel: “This year’s Rittenhouse Award winner has achieved success in many areas of book publishing while making a significant contribution to the western community of the book. As the eighteenth recipient of the Rittenhouse Award, Richard E. Abel rightfully joins the distinguished list of Rittenhouse Winners.”
Rittenhouse Award winner Richard E. Abel worked in a bookstore, became a bookstore owner, started a private press for limited edition books, founded a company that grew into an international library distributor, founded a book marketing and distribution company, started a trade publishing company that has grown into a well respected mid-sized publisher, and is the author of numerous articles and a forthcoming book.
Presentation of the award will take place at PubWest’s annual National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show in Portland, OR on Saturday, November 15, 2008. Contact the PubWest office for details. (www.pubwest.org or executivedirector@pubwest.org)
The Rittenhouse Award is given annually in memory of Jack D. Rittenhouse, the West’s consummate bookman. During his long career, Rittenhouse was a writer, bookseller, publisher, lecturer and mentor. He left a lasting mark on the book community, both in his work and with the people who followed him and this award was established as a way to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the book community in the West. Prior winners of the Rittenhouse Award are Jene and Jetta Lyon (1991), Fred Pruett (1992), David Flaccus (1993), Dwight and Carol Myers (1994), Gordon Saull (posthumously in 1995), Tom Auer (1996), Joyce Meskis (1997), Tony Hillerman (1998), Katharine J. McCanna (1999), Lisa Knudsen (2000), Robert C. Baron (2001), Mary Powell (2002), Fredrick A. Praeger (posthumously in 2003), Dick and Judy Noyes (2004), Elizabeth A. Geiser (2005), Linda Ligon (2006) and Gibbs Smith (2007).