Former retailer credited for bringing 'significant positive changes' to trade association

CBA promoted Curtis Riskey from executive director to president during its board meeting in October in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“The appointment is an affirmation by the board of Riskey’s leadership, role in the industry and job performance in running the association these past three years,” said CBA board Chairman George Thomsen.

Credited for bringing “significant positive changes,” Riskey served as interim executive director after the unexpected resignation of longtime President and CEO Bill Anderson in October 2009. He was appointed as executive director in March 2010 with CBA adopting a new management model. Riskey has seen the sale of the organization's headquarters in Colorado Springs and CBA has also eliminated all of its debt and is now debt free, the association said.

Thomsen told Christian Retailing that Riskey was named executive director "during a time of transition that required greater CBA board oversight.”

“The board established an executive committee that met frequently with the executive director,” he said. “Because of his positive performance and significant positive changes in the association, Curtis was named president. We look forward to continued positive performance from Curtis and the team in Colorado Springs in the years to come.

“The compensation for Curtis is commensurate with his skills, abilities and performance, but [it] actually is on the low side for equivalent pay standards for associations of CBA's size,” added Thomsen, who declined to offer specifics.

Riskey, 45, said he was “humbled and honored” by the support of the CBA board. He added that CBA will be focusing on strategic direction and growth for the industry of Christian retailers and their trading partners who create Christian resources and materials.

“The work we do as an industry is part of the mission of the church as it supports faith-building, personal growth and cultural revitalization,” Riskey said. “CBA is an advocate for the industry where individual ministry and excellence of industry businesses continue to make a difference in people’s everyday faith.”

Riskey joined CBA in September 2007 for the newly created position of strategic solutions executive, relocating with his wife, Barbara, and three children to Colorado Springs from Oshkosh, Wis., where he owned BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) Books and Café.

In July 2010, Riskey shuttered the 10-year-old, 12,000-square-foot store, citing the difficulties of running the business from a distance four months after taking on the leadership of the Christian retailers' association.

Riskey, a former Christian Retailing editorial advisory board member, has a business degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) President and CEO Mark Kuyper said he was “thrilled for Curtis and for the Christian retail community.”

“Curtis is a very bright, experienced, strategic, creative and spiritually driven leader,” he said. “He is also committed to professional, personal and spiritual growth.

Curtis is an excellent representative and advocate for the Christian retailers.

“Every chance he gets, he has championed their unique role as ministry partners for the church, distribution outlets for suppliers, and most of all, a place of peace and support for consumers, including Christian Store Week,” Kuyper added. “Curtis has also done an excellent job of right-sizing [CBA] and managing it to health.

Dwight Baker, president of Baker Publishing Group, “enthusiastically supports” Riskey's promotion.

“You may certainly include me with Curtis’ fan club,” he said. “He is a blessing to CBA and the community of Christian book folks.”

Bill Greig III, president of Gospel Light, said Riskey deserved his promotion.

“Curtis has earned this important position through his valuable Christian retailing experience, his position under Bill Anderson's leadership as well as his strong leadership of CBA through the significant transitions of the past several years,” Greig said. “Curtis has a tremendously positive and creative attitude and outlook, which is needed to lead CBA through these challenging years.”

Munce Group President Kirk Blank said Riskey was “attentive to the suggestions and constructive criticism” of the marketing group's advisory board when he joined CBA five years ago.

"Curtis was asked to change the policy of the CBA Store Locator to include all independent Christian stores, regardless if they were members of CBA,” Blank recalled. “Within a few months, the change was implemented. That meant a lot to us and the Munce Group advisory board.”

Darren Henry, president of Advocate Distribution Solutions, a division of Send The Light Distribution, said he was impressed with Riskey when he met him as a prospective Christian retailer in the late 1990s.

“Curtis always strikes me as a person of energy and integrity, and while the CBA clearly faces some challenges. I believe Curtis can lead the association and its membership into new seasons of success,” said Henry, who was a field sales representative for Multnomah Publishers when he met Riskey.

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