Thomas Nelson CEO says technology is changing the nature of publishing

Today’s technology, led by the Kindle, is revolutionizing the nature of book publishing today, Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, the world's largest Christian publishing company, said Wednesday, Dec. 9.
 

Speaking at 2009’s last Nashville Business Breakfast networking event, Hyatt said the Kindle, Twitter, iPhones and other electronic devices and social media are changing the way we read “books.” During his talk he referenced a video by Time Inc. that indicates in 2010 many of their magazines will be offered in an electronic format that is viewed with a Kindle or other similar reading device.
 

Hyatt has been on Twitter for about 18 months and now has over 55,000 followers, he said. He said he believes using social media technology is important especially for leaders of companies to send marketing messages and to keep in touch with their audiences. Thomas Nelson has successfully placed books on the New York Times best-seller list due to grassroots Twitter campaigns, he said.
 

Michael Hyatt, who is the chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), began his publishing career at Word Publishing, started his own publishing company, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, in 1986 and  has worked in a variety of roles in both divisional and corporate management at Thomas Nelson since 1998. He was promoted to president in February 2004 and CEO in August 2005.

 

Hyatt is the latest CEO to join an impressive list of speakers who have appeared at Lipscomb’s annual Nashville Business Breakfast series, a quarterly networking event featuring local business leaders who have global impact.

 

Past speakers include Carlos Tavares, chairman, Management Committee-Americas, Nissan North America Inc.; Kix Brooks, former chairman of the Country Music Association; Wayne Smith, CEO of Community Health Systems; Scott McWilliams, CEO of OHL Logistics; Uzi Yemin, president, CEO and director of Delek U.S. Holdings; and Cordia Harrington, CEO and president of the Tennessee Bun Company.

 

The Nashville Business Breakfast is co-hosted by the Nashville Business Journal and sponsored by Resources Global Professionals.