Executive Overview
In an industry perpetually wrestling with logistical bottlenecks, shifting retail channels, and a contracting pool of service providers, Lakeside Book Company is aggressively reshaping the American publishing landscape. As one of the nation’s preeminent book manufacturers, Lakeside has executed a strategic pivot—transitioning from a pure-play printing titan into an end-to-end publishing solutions provider.
Just over a year after its landmark acquisition of Baker & Taylor Publishing Services (BTPS)—the erstwhile distribution arm of the defunct library wholesaler Baker & Taylor—Lakeside has completed a major corporate reorganization. This strategic overhaul merges the sales apparatus of Dover Publications (a long-standing Lakeside subsidiary) with veteran sales personnel from the newly minted Lakeside Book Distribution division. The resulting unified sales force is primed to service both Dover’s rich backlist and an expanding roster of independent publishing clients.
Led by industry veterans and structured across specialized retail channels, the newly formed 11-person direct sales team—bolstered by powerhouse commission groups—represents a calculated response to a critical market vulnerability. For years, publishing executives have watched helplessly as distribution options narrowed. By combining state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities (spanning offset, digital, and print-on-demand technologies) with a robust, multi-channel distribution network, Lakeside is offering a compelling value proposition.
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This in-depth report explores the chronology of Lakeside’s expansion, analyzes the structural anatomy of its newly reorganized sales team, evaluates the metrics driving its current growth, and outlines the broader implications of this transformation for small- and medium-sized independent publishers seeking reliable alternatives in a volatile marketplace.
Detailed Chronology: From Manufacturing Giant to Distribution Powerhouse
The Early Warnings: Monitoring a Contracting Ecosystem
For years, executive leadership at Lakeside Book Company maintained a vigilant watch over the American book supply chain. Long before global supply chain disruptions made headline news, industry insiders recognized a systemic vulnerability: the infrastructure supporting book distribution was steadily shrinking. As legacy wholesalers and mid-sized distributors either folded, consolidated, or narrowed their acceptance criteria, publishers found themselves with fewer viable pathways to get their titles into the hands of retailers and readers.
Lakeside’s leadership understood that modern publishing required more than just ink on paper. Printers could no longer operate in a vacuum, focusing solely on press runs and warehousing pallets. Publishers were desperately seeking operational efficiencies—ways to shorten the distance and time between the printing press, the warehouse shelf, and the bookstore register.
The November Breakthrough: Acquiring Baker & Taylor Publishing Services
That long-term observation bore strategic fruit in November of the previous year. When the opportunity arose to acquire Baker & Taylor Publishing Services—the distribution infrastructure left stranded by the dissolution of Baker & Taylor’s traditional library wholesale operations—Lakeside moved decisively.
The acquisition was a calculated masterstroke. Overnight, Lakeside absorbed approximately 150 distribution clients, instantly transforming itself from a traditional manufacturing enterprise into a vertically integrated distribution powerhouse. Internally rebranded as Lakeside Book Distribution, the division provided the missing link in Lakeside’s service architecture. Publishers could now print, store, pick, pack, and ship their inventories through a single, accountable corporate partner.
The 12-Month Post-Acquisition Evolution
The first year following the BTPS acquisition was marked by integration, stabilization, and internal realignment. Absorbing 150 distinct publishing accounts, migrating data systems, and harmonizing warehouse protocols are monumental operational undertakings. Yet, rather than simply pausing to catch its breath, Lakeside leadership utilized the post-acquisition window to blueprint the next phase of its expansion.
By late January, the company brought in distribution veteran Todd McGarity to serve in the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Business Development for Lakeside’s Book Services division. McGarity’s mandate was clear: evaluate the existing operational framework, identify synergies between Lakeside’s disparate holdings, and engineer a growth strategy designed to capture disillusioned publishers fleeing legacy competitors.
The Current Reorganization: Merging Dover and BTPS Sales Legacies
The culmination of this strategic evaluation arrived with the recent, comprehensive sales reorganization. Lakeside merged the dedicated sales resources of Dover Publications—a treasured publisher owned by Lakeside for decades—with the seasoned sales representatives inherited from the BTPS acquisition.
By dissolving the operational silos that traditionally separated manufacturing, publishing, and distribution, Lakeside has forged a unified sales force. This new team is charged with driving revenue not only for Dover’s vast catalog of classic and niche titles but also for the growing portfolio of external publishers who rely on Lakeside Book Distribution.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Anatomy of the New Lakeside Sales Apparatus
To fully comprehend the scale of Lakeside’s operational pivot, one must examine the structural composition and quantitative metrics underpinning its new sales division.
Leadership and Channel Specialization
The newly minted Lakeside Book sales team is anchored by a seasoned leadership duo:
- Jeff Tegge, Vice President of Client Services
- Mark Hillesheim, Sales Director
Reporting directly to Hillesheim is a finely tuned cadre of channel managers, each assigned to distinct retail verticals to ensure maximum market penetration:
- Michael Riley: National Accounts
- Deanna Meyeroff: Trade Sales
- Lorina Lana: Special Markets
- Randy McKenzie: Christian Sales
Reallocation of Talent and Extended Reach
As part of the internal restructuring, two veteran sales representatives from Dover Publications transitioned directly into the core Lakeside Book sales team. Furthermore, Dover’s Judy Kessler has been tapped to represent Lakeside Book clients within the lucrative and competitive mass merchandise channel.
In total, the direct Lakeside sales team now stands at 11 dedicated professionals. However, this in-house footprint is powerfully augmented by premier commission rep groups, ensuring coast-to-coast coverage across specialized retail landscapes:
- Imprint Group West
- Fujii Associates
- Como Sales
- Dedicated commission groups specializing in the gift and Christian retail markets.
Growth Metrics and Client Acquisition
The empirical evidence suggests that Lakeside’s strategy is resonating with the market. While the foundational BTPS acquisition brought in approximately 150 legacy clients, Lakeside’s aggressive new business development efforts have yielded impressive results.
According to Todd McGarity, the company has successfully signed approximately 12 new publishers in recent months. This influx is no accident; it is the direct result of a targeted growth strategy. Lakeside has explicitly trained its crosshairs on the small-to-medium-sized independent publisher demographic—a segment historically underserved by massive, corporate distribution conglomerates.
The Manufacturing Advantage: Offset, Digital, and POD Synergy
What truly differentiates Lakeside’s distribution pitch from traditional competitors is the seamless integration of manufacturing flexibility. When pitching prospective clients, the Lakeside sales team wields an unmatched competitive advantage: the company houses offset printing, digital printing, and Print-on-Demand (POD) capabilities under its corporate umbrella.
This synergy solves a perennial headache for independent publishers: inventory management and cash flow optimization. Instead of printing massive, speculative offset runs that tie up capital and rack up exorbitant warehousing fees, publishers utilizing Lakeside Book Distribution can leverage agile manufacturing models. Proof of this concept is already visible in the field: six of Lakeside’s newest distribution clients have already opted to integrate these localized printing services directly into their distribution agreements.
Official Statements and Industry Insights
The philosophy driving Lakeside’s transformation reflects a pragmatic, forward-looking understanding of the contemporary publishing ecosystem. Company leadership is acutely aware of the anxieties keeping independent publishers awake at night.
"This sales reorganization is just the beginning of a transformative phase of growth that’s in the works at Lakeside Book," remarked Todd McGarity, SVP of Business Development, during a briefing on the restructuring. McGarity’s extensive background in distribution gives his assessment considerable authoritative weight.
Crucially, McGarity contextualized the timing of Lakeside’s expansion within broader macroeconomic and industry-wide trends: "And it comes at a time where publishers are seeking distribution alternatives to what’s out there."
For years, the publishing industry has groaned under the weight of consolidated distribution networks where independent voices often feel lost in the shuffle of multinational conglomerates. By positioning itself as a responsive, technologically integrated alternative, Lakeside is explicitly signaling to the market that there is another way. The message to small and medium publishers is unmistakable: you do not have to choose between impersonal corporate monoliths and fragile, under-resourced local operators.
Future Outlook: A New Paradigm for Independent Publishing
As Lakeside Book Company looks toward the horizon, the trajectory of its Book Services division points toward sustained, strategic expansion.
Canadian Operations Remain Steady
While the domestic reorganization is sweeping and comprehensive, leadership has wisely adopted a measured approach elsewhere. McGarity confirmed that no changes have been made to Lakeside’s Canadian distribution operations at this juncture. By maintaining stability north of the border, the company ensures uninterrupted service for its Canadian partners while aggressively fine-tuning its domestic machinery.
The Road Ahead: Aggressive Pursuit of Independent Publishers
Lakeside’s aggressive pursuit of small and medium-sized publishers is not a short-term campaign; it is a foundational realignment of the company’s identity. By offering a hybrid model that marries elite distribution representation with world-class printing capabilities (offset, digital, and POD), Lakeside is effectively de-risking the publishing business for its clients.
In an era where paper shortages, rising freight costs, and unpredictable retail demand have made book publishing an increasingly perilous enterprise, infrastructural reliability is the ultimate currency. By successfully executing this sales reorganization, integrating legacy assets from Dover and BTPS, and deploying a specialized, channel-focused sales force, Lakeside Book Company has established a new benchmark for industry service providers.
For independent publishers navigating an uncertain future, Lakeside’s evolution offers a welcome beacon of stability—proving that with the right partner, manufacturing and distribution can work in harmonious, profitable alignment.
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