SSP was founded in 1978 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing scholarly communication and the professional development of its members. It serves as a central hub connecting all facets of the academic and professional publishing industry.
SSP was established to bridge gaps in the industry by creating a collaborative environment for everyone involved in the publishing lifecycle. Membership was designed to include publishers, editors, librarians, printers, technical service providers, and e-product developers. Throughout its history, SSP has provided a major forum for industry discussion through its annual meetings, educational seminars, and webinars.
Today, SSP continues to serve as a vital neutral ground where stakeholders with sometimes divergent goals can openly discuss the future of the field.
How SSP Started
SSP is largely the product of many delightful, energetic, and visionary people who saw the need for a society that included people involved in scholarly communication in all disciplines. Some of SSP’s founders have written brief and engaging accounts of the Society’s beginnings.
Founding Board of Directors
President
Mark Carroll
Vice President
Robert Day
Secretary-Treasurer
Fred Spilhaus
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
Judy Holoviak
Director
Richard Belknap
Director
Anita DeVivo
Director
Elizabeth Fake
Director
E. K. (Woody) Gannett
Director
J. G. Goellner, Brigitte (Huybrechts) Duces
Director
H. E. Kennedy
Director
Barbara Meyers
Director
Joseph Raben
Director
John Strawhorn
Director
William Teare
Director
Seldon Terrant
SSP’s Past Presidents
2025-2026
Rebecca McLeod
2024-2025
Heather Staines
2023-2024
Randy Townsend
2022-2023
Miranda Walker
2021-2022
Alice Meadows
2020-2021
Lauren Kane
2019-2020
Angela Cochran
2018-2019
Adrian Stanley
2017-2018
Jennifer Pesanelli
2016-2017
Rick Anderson
2015-2016
Ann Michael
2014-2015
Howard Ratner
2013-2014
Kent Anderson
2012-2013
Carol Anne Meyer
2011-2012
Theresa Van Schaik
2010-2011
Lois Smith
2009-2010
Raymond Fastiggi
2008-2009
October Ivins
2007-2008
Susan Kesner
2006-2007
Judy Luther
2005-2006
Norman Frankel
2004-2005
Heather Joseph
2003-2004
Margaret Reich
2002-2003
Ed Barnas
2001-2002
William Kasdorf
2000-2001
Janet Fisher
1999-2000
Kathleen Case
1998-1999
Frederick Bowes, III
1997-1998
Janice Fleming
1996-1997
Margaret Foti
1995-1996
Christine Lamb
1994-1995
Christine Lamb
1993-1994
Robert Shirrell
1992-1993
Robert Shirrell
1991-1992
Judy C. Holoviak
1990-1991
Judy C. Holoviak
1989-1990
Ann Reinke Strong
1988-1989
Ann Reinke Strong
1987-1988
G. William Teare, Jr.
1986-1987
G. William Teare, Jr.
1985-1986
Elwood K. Gannett
1984-1985
Elwood K. Gannett
1983-1984
Robert Day
1982-1983
Robert Day
1981-1982
Mark Carroll
1980-1981
Mark Carroll
1979-1980
Mark Carroll
About the SSP Logo
The original logo was designed by William Propert with what was then William Byrd Press. It was proposed for adoption and unanimously approved at the July 12, 1978 meeting of the Board of Directors. “The points of the circumference of the circle represent the various communities the Society seeks to serve and the cords across the circle symbolize the interactions and lines of communication and interest among those communities, ” according to the July 12, 1978 meeting minutes.
1978 – 2017
2017 – Present
As the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) entered its 40th year, the visual identity of the Society was refreshed to better align with the work its members do to advance scholarly communication around the world. The interlocking triangles in the logo are a tribute to the Society’s original logo. The logo’s design continues to represent themes of connection and interaction with the various communities involved in this industry while reflecting the Society’s position as a forward-thinking and innovative space in the publishing community.
