Inter-American Publishing Association reports record sales in last 5 years, elects leaders

November 1, 2010 – San Juan, Puerto Rico…Libna Stevens/IAD

The Inter-American Division Publishing Association (IADPA), one of two publishing houses operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America, reported an increase of $5.5 million in sales since 2005. The report came during IADPA’s end of the five-year period meetings with its board members in San Juan, Puerto Rico today. IADPA also reported a record number of publications produced in three languages during the same period, and voted its top administrators.

“Writing is still the way to preserve our faith and propagate God’s message,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America and chairman of the IADPA Board. “Through our publications we must continue to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord.”

Ranked the second largest Seventh-day Adventist publishing house in the world outside of North America, IADPA reported total sales of $13.5 million at the end of 2009, a record amount for the publishing house. Brazilian Publishing House is the largest publishing house after Review and Herald and Pacific Press.

IADPA leaders reported the printing of 294 publications in Spanish, English and French during the past five-year period, an average of 59 publications available each year to colporteurs and church membership throughout the vast IAD region.

New collections announced by IADPA include a set of books by Ellen G. White, newly illustrated and revised: Acts of the Apostles, The Desire of Ages, The Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, and Prophets and Kings, a project which took years to complete and now available in three languages. In addition, the book Faith and Works by Ellen G. White was unveiled as the new book of the year for the church in Inter-America. New books on spiritual revival and reformation are now available in the three languages as well.

IADPA’s President Pablo Perla, who was voted in yesterday to helm the publishing house for another five-year term, spoke to board members about a historic agreement which took place earlier this year between IADPA and the International Bible Society for exclusive printing rights of the New International Version of 1977 Reina Valeria (Spanish) version of the Bible in Latin America.

IADPA also reported several electronic books available on Amazon’s Kindle.

Perla, who has lead as president of IADPA since 2006, thanked board members for re-electing him.

“Working with books is what I love and live for,” said Perla “We are committed to this work of publications and will do our best in IADPA to continue serving the church.”

Also voted were Elizabeth Christian as vice president of finance, Francesc X. Gelabert as vice president of editorial affairs, Daniel Medina as vice president of production, and Ana Rodriguez as vice president of customer service.

Board members also voted to have a special day designated as the Day of the Adventist Book to be celebrated during the first of May each year throughout Inter-America.

For more information on the Inter-American Division Publishing Association and its available publications, go to http://www.iadpa.org

For a photo gallery of IADPA’s 2010 Board Meeting, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/interamerica