We are delighted to announce that Jeff McArdle is our new Journals Manager! Jeff brings with him over two decades of experience within the Press’s Journals Department, having held various roles in circulation, marketing, and administration. As we welcome this new chapter, we are committed to upholding the standards of journal publishing excellence that the Press is known for, while also embracing innovative strategies to navigate the dynamic field of academic publishing. Jeff is just the leader the Journals Department needs to rise to these challenges.
Congratulations on your appointment as Journals Manager! In light of Clydette Wantland’s retirement and the profound influence of her guidance on the program, could you tell us some of the aspects of her leadership style or accomplishments that you hope to emulate and build upon in your new position?
JM: Thanks very much! Clydette’s contributions to the Press are so numerous, but one that stands out is her record of bringing high-quality journals into our program. During her career she doubled the size of our list not so much by “selling” our services, but rather by maintaining a professional, efficient, and fair-dealing journal publishing operation that attracted new clients. A big part of that success was the staff she hired, who are all wonderfully talented, and who combined have more than seventy-five years of publishing experience. She should be very proud of what she built here.
How do you envision leveraging your extensive background within the Journals Department of the Press to lead and advance the program?
JM: I’ve been fortunate to have a long career working with journals at UIP, and I think my familiarity with the different aspects of our business gives me a grounded perspective on where we excel and where we can improve. I want to avoid the mindset of doing things like we’ve always done them, so I’ll be looking for ways to use new tools—like our recent adoption of Biblio, a new internal database we’re using to streamline journal editorial, production, and marketing procedures—to enhance our capabilities and increase the levels of quality and service we provide to our journal clients, authors, and readers.
What excites you the most about shaping the program’s future directions?
JM: It’s really an exciting time to be working in scholarly publishing. From AI to open access, there are a number of opportunities ahead that I’m looking forward to addressing. What excites me most, however, is meeting new people and developing new projects, whether that be a traditional scholarly journal or something more outside the box.
What legacy do you hope to establish as the head of the University of Illinois Press Journals Department, and what impact do you aspire to make in this leadership role in the years ahead?
JM: Like anyone stepping into a role like this, I hope to build UIP Journals into a stronger and even more capable program. No doubt there are going to be challenges and frustrations along the way, but if I remain forward-thinking, am willing to adapt, maintain my good humor, and trust in the talents of my staff, I hope the legacy will take care of itself.
We express our gratitude to the former Journals Manager, Clydette Wantland, as we celebrate her retirement. We thank her for her years of exemplary leadership and visionary contributions to the program. Since Clydette joined the Press, the Journals program has seen remarkable growth under her stewardship, with the incorporation association/society management services, the addition of new journals (most recently cultural studies journals Italica and Journal of Finnish Studies), and the adoption a new publishing platform, the Scholarly Publishing Collective, among numerous other achievements.
In reflecting on your illustrious career of over 20 years with the Press, what are some of the most significant milestones you’ve experienced?
CW: Electronic/online publication of our journals. We were just learning about publishing electronic journal issues alongside the print journals. We started posting on our own website through our Press IT department and then moved to JSTOR Current Scholarship Program in 2011. Beginning in 2022, we moved to the Scholarly Publishing Collective through a partnership with Duke University Press.
As you retire, what are your hopes for the future of the Journals Department that you dedicated years to leading and developing?
CW: I hope that they continue with targeted growth. I am confident that under Jeff McArdle’s leadership, the program will thrive.
What lessons have you learned throughout your career that you believe will guide and inspire up-and-coming publishing professionals?
CW: Making connections with other journal managers across academic publishing will provide an excellent resource when issues arise you have not encountered. Shared experiences is safety in numbers.