The most significant of these is the restructuring of CPI's Christian education and formation-resources publishing function.

"In the two months since joining the Church Publishing team, I have rejoiced in discovering the many positive contributions and publishing successes of which the CPI staff can be justly proud," Davis Perkins, CPI's publisher, told the staff in announcing the changes. "I have also come to realize that some of our company functions need to be reorganized in order to better serve our customers and accommodate our future business needs."

To this end, the educational products of Morehouse Publishing, the curriculum products of "Living the Good News", and the electronic products of Church Publishing are being combined into a new Education Resources & Electronic Publishing division.

"Lectionary-based curriculum and educational materials are vitally important to the Christian formation process of the Episcopal Church," Perkins said, "and we want to ensure that this key part of our publishing ministry receives the attention it deserves."

Peter L. Velander has joined CPI to head up this new division, reporting to Perkins. Velander comes to CPI from Logos Productions Inc. in Minnesota, where he was president and publisher. Logos publishes church-related products -- including the lectionary-based curricula "The Whole People of God" and "The Seasons of the Spirit." Most recently, he served as director of e-products and ecumenical initiatives at the Oregon Catholic Press.

Velander will be based in Denver and have the current Living the Good News editorial staff and the new position of Christian formation specialist, a relationship-building and workshop training function, reporting to him.

Sharon Ely Pearson has been named to that position. She comes to CPI from the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, where she served as coordinator of children's ministries and Christian education.  She has also been a theological education consultant to the Episcopal Church Center, an Education for Ministry mentor, and a Christian education teacher.

 "We're delighted that Sharon Ely Pearson and Pete Velander are providing leadership to our Christian education program," said Perkins. "Their gifts and expertise in this area are outstanding and will serve the Church well. This represents a recommitment by CPI to curriculum development and Christian formation resources, allowing us to better address what our customers have told us about their needs."

As a result of these organizational and functional changes, James Creasey, who had been serving as vice president, publisher, of "Living the Good News," has left the company.

Perkins, who assumes the oversight of all imprints including the decision to publish, also announced the following organizational changes:

• Frank Tedeschi becomes vice president, senior executive editor, overseeing the activities of CPI's staff acquiring book editors Nancy Fitzgerald, Lucas Smith, and Susie Erdey, as well as the contracted editors. This group will focus its efforts on acquiring books, curriculum, and products.
• Cynthia Shattuck returns to her previous role as a contracted acquiring editor. "Freeing Cynthia from administrative distractions allows her to concentrate on acquiring and editing the wonderful titles for which she is so highly respected, both at CPI and throughout the religious publishing world," Perkins said.
• Financial and budgeting responsibilities formerly shouldered by the editors are now centralized under Marian Hewitt, vice president, finance and operations.
• Marilyn Haskel continues as contracted editor for music.
• Marketing efforts for all of CPI imprints are now centralized and coordinated under Mark Dazzo, vice president, global marketing and sales.
• CPI's current inbound customer-service function in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been augmented with a new outbound customer service function in New York. All customer representatives now report directly to Jeffrey Hamilton, manager, sales, and Hamilton continues to report to Dazzo.