by Carol Kasper, retired Marketing Director, Books Division

Don Collins had a storied career at the University of Chicago Press that spanned four decades and included the roles of Warehouse and Business Manager, CDC Director, CFO, and President of Chicago Distribution Services. Social scientists reckon that a generation is approximately 15 years. By that measure, Don has been retired from the Press for just under a generation. It’s likely that most current Press staff, distribution clients, and trading partners never worked with Don, know him only by reputation, or maybe don’t know of him at all. Nonetheless, his contributions are baked into the DNA of the Press’ operations.

Don came to the Press in 1986 from Texas A&M University Press. He was a Texan through and through, from his pronounced drawl to his ever-present cowboy boots. In a world of sedate bookish types, he prided himself on being blunt, outspoken, and (some would say) rough around the edges.

Don’s first challenge at the Press was to build a new computer system for the warehouse and business office. That transition was not a smooth process, and Don and his team had to suffer the slings and arrows of the Press’ various outraged constituencies. But it got done through hard work, confidence, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. That project won Don and his team the respect of then director Morris Philipson, who became comfortable allowing Don an unusually generous degree of independence.

Always quick to see an opportunity, Don convinced Morris and the Press’ executive committee that, since the warehouse was running smoothly and had excess capacity, the Press could offer distribution and business services to other AAUP (now AUPresses) publishers. Don’s success in building a distribution business bolstered the Press’ Books Division as it began to offer Sales Representation and eventually Marketing Services to the global publishing community.

As the publishing and book business evolved throughout the aughts, the Press’ distribution operation became a separate business division. It grew and reinvented itself as a provider of on-demand and short-run printing, digital services through BiblioVault, and both digital and physical book distribution to like-minded publishers on an increasingly global scale.  As such, the enterprise became Chicago Distribution Services. Don was appointed its first president in 2006 and held that position until he retired in 2012. He received the AAUP (now AUPresses) Constituency Award in 2011, an award that honored his active leadership and service to the university press community.

No obituary can capture Don’s energy, his drive, his tenacity, or his ambition. Without Don, Chicago and all the publishers who worked with the Press would not have had the benefit of a community with enough presence and size within the book trade to work effectively with independents, wholesalers, chain stores, and ultimately the giant, Amazon.

This is not to say that Don was without detractors. He was pragmatic, tough, and quick to call out a foolish idea. That did not always make him popular. On the other hand, he was a gifted storyteller and an entertaining, in-demand speaker at professional gatherings. He had a wacky sense of humor, and a meeting with Don in attendance was often contentious but never dull!

The things I appreciated most about Don were his creativity, his generosity, and his patience. Don was a visionary as well as a gifted teacher and mentor who was willing to make the time to pass on institutional knowledge and to share his wealth of publishing experience. Don knew the importance of educating colleagues as well as clients. Many who worked with Don remember especially just how much they learned from him. That is a great compliment. His brand of innovation and teaching fertilized the growth and prosperity of the University of Chicago Press. To my mind, that was his greatest contribution.