Signaling a positive outlook on the economy, Christian publishers increased personnel for the U.S. book world's biggest event, held last month in New York City. Like last year, Book Expo America (BEA) drew about 17 Christian publishers to the May 23-26 event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Baker Publishing Group Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Lewis told Christian Retailing that the company added staff for BEA. "We had more appointments and needed help keeping a person free to interact with walk-up traffic," he said. "After cutting back on staff during the recession, we once again fully staffed the booth for the show this year."

Mary Katharine Hunt, vice president of marketing for B&H Publishing Group, told Christian Retailing that the company also increased its staff. The highlight of BEA was "seeing what is happening across the publishing industry, especially the big focus on digital publishing trends," she said.

CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey and CBA Business Development Manager Eric Grimm attended their first BEA. "It was encouraging to hear publishers recognize the value of bookstores in the publishing marketplace system," Riskey told Christian Retailing.

"While there is great concern, hysteria and hype about creating digital content and selling it through new technologies, there is also a real concern that without stores, the publishing industry will be squeezed and cash starved," Riskey added. "The loss of 'showrooms'—as stores were called in several presentations—could mean a greater loss of publishers' sales and profitability. ... The call for new business models that enable brick-and-mortar stores to compete was very encouraging."

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