Baker Book House Company President and CEO to Retire May 2023
Baker Book House Company announced today that Dwight Baker will retire on May 1, 2023, after serving 43 years at the company, 25 of those as president and CEO. Speaking on behalf of the board of directors, board chair Dr. Kathryn Scanland said, “Dwight’s tenure has been punctuated with serving both the local Grand Rapids community and the global Christian community with steady commitment and a generous heart. Under Dwight’s leadership Baker Publishing expanded its footprint to reach a larger and more diverse audience. It’s a privilege to convey our heartfelt gratitude to Dwight for his years of unwavering dedication to further the mission of Baker Book House Company.”
During middle school Dwight worked in the original family bookstore on Wealthy Street, stacking books, sweeping the parking lot, and dangling outside the second-story windows with a bottle of Windex. He arrived at the publishing division in 1980 while in college, serving as art director until his appointment as president and CEO in 1997. In this role he followed his grandfather and company founder Herman Baker and father Richard Baker.
Under Dwight’s leadership Baker Publishing Group expanded its trade divisions through the launch of Brazos Press (1999) and the acquisition of Bethany House Publishing (2002) and Regal Books (2014). Following a major renovation in 2012, Baker Book House retail store in Grand Rapids has become the largest Christian bookstore in North America. For 11 years Dwight served on the board of the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association, including two terms as board chair.
Throughout his tenure as president and CEO, Dwight has maintained a steadfast commitment to Baker’s mission and fostered an environment of professional excellence and integrity. “I am grateful for the privilege of serving the church through the Christian book business and eager for our company’s future under new leadership,” said Dwight. “Our board, executive team, and staff are positioned for great accomplishments, and I am confident of an effective transition.”
The board of directors will initiate a process to seek and discern the appointment of its next leader, with intentions to announce Baker’s fourth president and CEO by spring 2023.
About Baker Book House Company: Founded in 1939, Baker Book House Company is composed of six publishing divisions and one retail division. Each reflects a unique segment of Christian publishing. These divisions are Bethany House Publishers, Revell, Baker Books, Baker Academic, Chosen Books, Brazos Press, and Baker Book House. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Publishing Group is one of the world’s largest independent publishers of Christian books. For more information, visit www.bakerpublishinggroup.com and www.bakerbookhouse.com.