From our friends at the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance:
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance announced yesterday, September 3, that Executive Director Wanda Jewell will retire in June, 2020. Wanda says that “Serving as SIBA’s executive director for the past 30 years has been the honor of my life.”
“I am so proud of all we have accomplished together,” Wanda said in a letter to core members. “SIBA is seen as forward-looking, innovative, and smart—an organization willing to take risks without being risky. I treasure the reputation we have earned.”
SIBA president Kimberly Daniels Taws recently shared the Board’s heartfelt thanks to Jewell, saying, “Wanda ushered Southern booksellers into the digital age, working tirelessly to give everyone the skills to thrive. Her ‘try anything’ attitude has led to fun, silly times and but mostly to great innovations, including the board’s adoption of policy governance. We are grateful for all that Wanda has given SIBA. She has epitomized the heart of the organization by her energy, dedication, passion and creative nature.”
Taws highlighted some of Wanda’s many accomplishments over her three decades of work at SIBA in a letter to the membership and outlined the upcoming search process. The board has hired The Nexus Institute principal Nanette Blandin to help begin the search.
“Nanette is highly recommended by those who have worked with her at the American Booksellers Association in the past,” Taws says in her letter. “In 2014, she led the search for the ABA’s Chief Financial Officer position and, in 2018, she was the outside consultant to ABA’s Governance Review Committee, which was tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of ABA’s governance and making recommendations for improvement.”
The board has set up ample time for SIBA members to give feedback at the upcoming Discovery Show in Spartanburg and will be naming a Search Committee within the month.
Questions about the search can be directed to Kimberly at kimberlyddaniels@gmail.com or Nanette at nblandin@thenexusinstitute.com.
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The North Carolina Writers’ Network has very much enjoyed working with Wanda over the years and wishes her a happy, well-earned retirement!