Judy Varon Email & Phone Number

New York, NY

Greater New York City Area

• Manage and lead a team of 10 professionals in the areas of book manufacturing and paper procurement; foster professional development and team building.
• Managed and executed 300 Hyperion title integration into company manufacturing software, after purchase by Hachette.
• Work with vendors and operations division to ensure on-time delivery of an average of 100 products per month to distribution center.
• Ensure color fidelity moving projects from overseas to domestic vendors.
• Supervise high profile and embargoed company projects and titles.
• Resolve production issues and discrepancies with vendors.

Greater New York City Area

• Led transition of reprints team from Boston to New York office.
• Implemented changes to improve processes and enhance communications between publishers, managing editorial and manufacturing.
• Reduced costs by an average of 30% by engaging overseas vendors and suggesting specification adjustments that reduced price-per unit.
• Sourced domestic vendors for special projects and cost reduction.

Greater New York City Area

• Managed paperback publishing accounts including: Random House, St. Martin’s Press, Avon, Dell, Zebra Books, Penguin and Bantam and also developed new accounts by selling the full range of services to smaller companies.
• Suggested strategies for clients to reduce costs and increase production efficiency by developing printing programs for multiple titles.
• Created and implemented a variety of customer education programs including in-depth technical printing seminars and plant visits.

Greater New York City Area

• Managed the production of all Dell and Bantam adult and juvenile trade paperback book, 40/titles per month.
• Created relationships and developed contracts with up to 10 different printing companies in the US and Canada.
• Developed cost projections for future publications to serve as a basis for senior management decisions.
• Analyzed and controlled all production and packing costs as well as promotional costs for specialty title displays.
• Trained and supervised a production staff of 8-10, including prepress and manufacturing decisions.

Greater New York City Area

• Managed a department of 8-10 staff, while senior manager facilitated restructure and organizational implementation of Bantam Doubleday Dell newly formed production department.
• Attended numerous press okays for high profile authors, i.e. Danielle Steel.

Greater New York City Area

• Purchased 500 tons/month of various types of paper in the US and Canada and coordinated shipments to printers.
• Supervised inventory at all production sites to ensure paper quantities were sufficient to meet publication schedules.
• Controlled costs through continuous price comparisons and assured product quality by periodic visits to paper mills.
• Resolved all claims related to shortages, damages and bulking problems.

Greater New York City Area

• Processed numerous mass market and trade juvenile reprints for Dell publishing.
• Created and maintained manufacturing budget sheets for entire department.