Rick Hecker Email and Phone Number

Employee of the McGraw-Hill Companies, which has yearly sales of approximately $6 billion and nearly 300 offices in 38 countries. A learning science company, McGraw-Hill is the leading global provider of educational materials and professional information. Responsible for ensuring the successful, profitable publication of college textbooks and related electronic components (ebooks, etc.) across all disciplines, by managing the project from initial manuscript through completion. Projects included budgets exceeding $100,000 and total sales of over 30,000 units.Participate in the development of project objectives and strategies and evaluate the effectiveness of plans for assigned products.Work closely with authors and editors during manuscript development to ensure submission of production-ready text and art manuscript.Coordinate book design and illustration programs with editorial, design, marketing, media, and art staffs.Ensure quality design, layout specifications, and composition.Manage production turnover, project budgets, and project schedules.Act as the main contact for subcontracting compositors, prepress and manufacturing vendors, copyeditors, proofreaders, and indexers, both in the US and overseas.Coordinate activities of other book team members to ensure projects are completed on schedule and meet the assigned budget. Initiate and lead team meetings.As senior member of staff, help train and mentor new employees and establish and refine procedures and processes.

Editor for a full-service production house serving college and business textbook publishers in all major disciplines.Oversaw entire book production process from manuscript development to final output.As senior member of staff, managed high priority, complex projects, worked with the most demanding clients and authors, and met tightest schedules. Created layout and design, type marked manuscript, maintained author and client correspondence, created schedules, managed art programs, checking design specifications and proofs, and worked with in-house illustrators and compositors.Implemented departmental procedures, guidelines, policies, and goals.Partnered with inexperienced editors to provide training and mentoring.

Part of a university relations team operating as an in-house agency directly supporting all departments of the university, including the four-year liberal art college, theological seminary, and graduate and community outreach programs.Oversaw media relations, advertising, marketing, publications, photography, and special events. Served as the sports information director.Developed and wrote all university press releases to include news items, feature stories, and general information.Promoted university activities through written and personal contact with media outlets, the campus community, and the general public.Managing editor of monthly employee newsletter.College yearbook advisor.

Member of newspaper staff providing daily news coverage across a five-city area.Editor of daily sports section that provided complete coverage of area high schools and colleges.Daily assignments included reporting, layout and design, column and feature writing, and photography.