The company expanded its editorial services during the 1st quarter of 2009, and in May opened a development operation in Schaumburg, Illinois. In July the company acquired new facilities for its New Jersey unit and relocated this development operation in Jersey City, New Jersey as a part of the expansion initiative. As a part of this expansion, the company added several executive management and director-level staff to ensure the relevance and capability of the company’s leadership in a changing marketplace for the future. Several of these key additions to the management team at Element are as follows:

Cary Drake joined the company in April as Vice President, Element–Chicago. Formerly of Lehigh Colortronics and most recently with RRD-Anthology, Cary offers unique leadership qualities, an outstanding reputation, and a rich history in the education and instructional materials markets. In addition to his senior management role our Chicago office, Cary joins the company’s executive management team and will play a key role in marketing Element’s services, supporting core clients, and developing new business relationships
organizationally.

Kathy Carter joined the company in January, 2009 as Director of Math Editorial. Kathy brings executive leadership and substantial experience to her role at Element, and she will oversee the content development of high-quality math products produced by the company and aimed at the Pre-K and K-12 markets. Kathy has previously held high level management positions with Pearson Education, Houghton Mifflin Publishing, and Harcourt Achieve.

Joyce Spangler joined Element in February, 2009 as Director of Science Editorial. In her role she will lead the content development of Science and Health products produced by the company and targeting the Pre-K and K-12 markets. Joyce brings extensive leadership and management experience to Element, and previously worked for The Mazer Corporation, Silver Burdett Publishing, Macmillan McGraw-Hill, and Merrill Publishing. Joyce will report to Lynn Trepicchio and Jeff McLeod as part of the company’s Creative Services Group. Carolyn (Carri) Walters has also joined Element as a Science Editor, and will report to Joyce. Joyce and Carri are based in Dayton, Ohio.

Lynn Trepicchio was named Executive Director of Editorial Services in June, 2009 and was assigned specific responsibility of overseeing and directing content development for two of the company’s largest clients. As a result of her promotion, Lynn is responsible for all content development services the company provides and markets, and she works closely with, and reports to Jeff McLeod, the Company’s Executive VP of Creative Services.

In other news, Lisa Waters was named Executive Director of Technology/Technical Operations and oversees the company’s Technology Services group and Technical Operation’s services teams for content preparation and automated processing of finished electronic file matter to multi-destination deliverables. The company is presently developing workflow solutions and development processes to optimize development processes and content preparation functions for efficiently transforming same-source content to deliver final print-ready product or finished technology product for distribution to the wide variety of user destinations available in today’s educational marketplace. Print, Media CD/DVD, i-Phone, i-Pod, SMART Board Interactive, Promethean Interactive, and many other user “destinations” are targets for content Element prepares for its clientele.

In early 2009, Element rolled out and began marketing the company’s Integrated Project Management Services (“IPMS”). This service, which reflects a comprehensive development management solution, involves a deep collaboration and integration with our client and the client’s development resources at a partnership level for managing the creation of a product, or product line, from point-of-concept through completion. Element’s service provides effective solutions for administration, coordination, direction and management functions that essentially assigns Element’s IPMS Team as the client to the development parties engaged by our client, or that Element contracts for depending on the scope of service to be provided by, and assigned to Element by our client in each instance. The IPMS team covers the conceptualization and planning needs of the product, leads or participates in developing budget, workflow, and schedule plans to achieve the goals established by our client, and monitors/manages the project through completion of final deliverables as established by our client and in line with the product development plan assigned to the project.