The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) has appointed Allison Belan as its ninth Executive Director. She will succeed Brian O’Leary, who is retiring from the position on June 30.
Belan joins BISG following a 22‑year tenure at Duke University Press, where she most recently served as Director of Strategic Innovation and Services. In that role, she oversaw technology operations and publishing infrastructure for books and journals. She also managed the launch and daily operations of the Scholarly Publishing Collective, a service business within the press that provides hosting, sales, and fulfillment support to nonprofit scholarly publishers.
BISG Board Chair Matt Kennell of Versa Press stated that Belan brings practical knowledge of BISG’s core areas, including supply chain, metadata, rights management, accessibility, distribution, and standards development. He added that her experience and credibility will enable her to engage effectively with senior decision makers and stakeholders across the supply chain.
Belan noted that BISG has played a central role in shaping interoperability within book publishing over the past five decades. She highlighted contributions such as the creation of the BISAC subject codes, the development of metadata standards, and the transition to the 13‑digit ISBN. She emphasized that BISG’s current initiative, Book Publishing Next, reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to modernizing supply chain practices. She expressed that she is honored to contribute to the transformations BISG will lead in the future.
Belan will formally assume her role on June 22, with a transition plan already in progress. BISG members will have opportunities to meet her in the coming weeks.
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