Discontent Bubbles Over at ABA Meetings
by Judith Rosen, PW Show Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 5/21/2006
Prompted by worries about declining membership and the health of its finances, several long-time ABA members used Friday’s Town Hall Meeting to voice their concerns. Susan Novotny, owner of the Bookhouse in Albany, N.Y., led off by questioning the value of ABA programs like the BookSense Web site, the LIBRIS insurance program and even the gift card program. “I’ve historically been a cheerleader for ABA,” said Novotny. “But the board needs to look at the ABACUS advice you give out on running your store and apply it to your own financials.” Novotny, who said she can no longer afford to stay a member, called for a moratorium on paying dues.
Others, like Elaine Petrocelli, co-owner of Book Passage in Corte Madeira, Calif., questioned the disparity between what CEO Avin Domnitz makes—$375,000 a year plus benefits and deferred compensation from a previous contract—and a typical bookseller. Referring to Domnitz’s predecessor Bernie Rath, Northshire Bookstore’s Ed Morrow [PW’s Bookseller of the Year] noted that “we all gulped when we saw what Bernie was asking for.” And he said he has since come to question not only how much the organization’s CEO earns, but all three of the top executives: “Our executive compensation level is out of whack.”
Although it was clear from the applause in the room that many agreed with the criticisms, even more people responded in defense of the ABA’s current strategy and compensation package. Betsy Burton, owner of King’s English in Salt Lake City, Utah, reminded booksellers that the ABA was there for them when chain superstores were putting many of their colleagues out of business. “They saved our lives with Booksense and education,” she said.
Incoming board president Russ Lawrence, of Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Mont., noted that Domnitz’s salary is well within guidelines for other nonprofits and that independents have held their market share for the past three years. Outgoing board president Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books in Coral Gables, Fla., as well as past board president Ann Christophersen, co-owner of Women and Children First in Chicago, Ill., who helped negotiate the current contract with Domnitz, agreed.
At the ABA annual meeting immediately following the forum, there were standing ovations for the contributions of both Kaplan and outgoing board member Suzanne Staubach. “Who knows if we’ll really be able to save bookselling,” said Kaplan. “But none of us will go quietly into that night.” Among the achievements of ABA last year were the addition of 195 new members, more than in any recent year; the Winter Institute; and educational seminars that are now available free to membership over the Internet. In addition, Book Web is undergoing a total redesign to make it easier to use.
Alluding to the earlier acrimony at the Town Hall Forum, Domnitz noted at the end of his report on the implementation of ABA’s strategic goals, “I don’t know if we’re paid the right amount of money or not. I do know that 42 people come to work every day and put out a work product five times that number. They really respect everything you do, and almost every one of them has been a bookseller.” He received a round of applause and several booksellers stood.
Following Domnitz’s talk, Morrow spoke about the bylaws needing significant upgrading to deal with financial issues, and called for greater transparency for a range of operations. “There should be an investment policy and auditing mechanisms. The sale of the Tarrytown property is barely visible in the financials,” said Morrow, who handed out a letter and report to each of the board members. That call for transparency was repeated by Bill Petrocelli, who noted that “it’s important that we all feel that we’re in this together.”
Lawrence urged members to e-mail the board with their concerns throughout the year and promised to look into the questions raised.
