John Lively Named President and CEO of The Taunton Press

Posted on September 20, 2000

After 25 years of leadership, Paul Roman has handed the reigns of The Taunton Press over to John Lively. Lively, the former Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, will succeed Roman as President and CEO. Roman will continue as Chairman of the privately held company.

In 1975 Roman, a passionate amateur woodworker, decided to leave his executive position at General Electric and pursue his dream. Taking his experience as a former magazine editor, he and his wife Jan started Fine Woodworking from their home. Roman's vision was to have a magazine that not only informed, but also inspired its readers. The articles were to be written by experts in the field -- craftsmen who understood their subjects better than anyone in the world. From this platform Roman built The Taunton Press -- a company that now employs 300 people and publishes six magazine titles and some 40 books a year.

In addition to Fine Woodworking, the company's magazine titles include Fine Homebuilding, Fine Gardening, Kitchen Gardener, Fine Cooking, and Threads. ``Since the first issue of Fine Woodworking, Paul and Jan Roman established The Taunton Press' core values of intellectual leadership and honesty, keeping the reader's interest foremost for the past 25 years,'' said John Lively. ``These values are present on every page of Fine Woodworking, and in every one of our magazines and books.''

Lively said the values that Paul and Jan Roman initiated will always be at the center of their business. ``We will use our unique way of creating and delivering information to serve our existing markets more fully and discover new markets,'' he said. According to Mr. Lively, special interest magazines and books will continue to be ``the enduring aspect of our business, because print has a long and healthy future.''

The Taunton Press will also continue its expansion into web-based services, video, and events that are tailored to the interests of readers. Jan Roman will join her husband by taking an expanded role on the company's board as head of its finance committee. Together, with other board members, they will focus their efforts on the company's long-term development.

John Lively joined the editorial staff of Fine Woodworking in 1980. In 1988, he was named Publisher of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding magazines. In 1993 he became Taunton's Editor-In-Chief, a post he still holds. Most recently, he acted as Publisher for Fine Cooking and Threads magazines.