API Hires Director of Digital Transformation

RESTON, Va. - The American Press Institute (API) announced it has hired Noel Burkman as its director of digital transformation. The position is a newly created one, intended to expand API's digital expertise and its capacity to lead the newspaper industry into a profitable future focused on interactive content and non-traditional revenue models.

Burkman comes to API from Follett, the world's largest college textbook and apparel wholesaler and retailer. The college textbook sales industry has been facing challenges very similar to those of the newspaper industry: how to sustain a profitable offline business model while at the same time building the capacity to take advantage of opportunities and innovations driven by the Internet. In response to those challenges Burkman developed Follett's ability to offer digital content and introduced in-store kiosks as a way to facilitate sales of out-of-stock titles and to gather critical user data for future initiatives. He is currently working to move Follett to an application service provider (ASP) business model. He has been involved with e-commerce startups in the sporting goods and entertainment businesses and is experienced in raising venture capital for these enterprises, and he has been an independent consultant on technology and e-commerce for a variety of businesses.

"The addition to the staff of Noel Burkman expands exponentially API's capacity to lead our industry through highly disruptive change. He brings critical knowledge and experience from outside the industry about digital opportunities that will be of great value as newspapers work to transform their digital offerings, and he brings an understanding of the unique challenges faced by a profitable legacy business reluctant to abandon the roots of its success," said API President and Executive Director Drew Davis. "We look forward to Noel being able to play a key role right away in helping API and its constituency take advantage of opportunities for digital success."

"I'm thrilled to be involved in the transformation of an industry with such a hallowed place in this country's history," said Burkman. "If newspapers don't thrive, an important voice for democracy will be lost. I believe absolutely that newspapers can thrive in a digital future, and I'm excited to play a part in helping them realize that future."

Burkman's responsibilities at API will include practical research into pioneering applications of digital technology; leadership of API's digital seminars; teaching; and consultation.

Burkman has a bachelor's degree from DePaul University in Chicago. He will join API in mid-September.

About the American Press Institute
The American Press Institute is an independent educational center for providing skills-training and leadership development in the news industry, offering seminars and onsite programs for newspaper professionals.

Media Contact:
Elaine Clisham
Director of Marketing
American Press Institute
11690 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20191
703.715.3321
eclisham@americanpressinstitute.org
www.americanpressinstitute.org