Former Zondervan Exec to Head Faith Alive

k Rice, a former marketing executive with Zondervan Inc., has been named director of Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Rice succeeds Gary Mulder, who retires at the end of November after serving as director of the agency for nearly 25 years. Faith Alive was known for many years as CRC Publications.

Rice, of Byron Center, Mich., was appointed to the position late last week by the CRCNA’s Board of Trustees at its regular fall meeting. He brings to his new job 24 years experience in branding, strategic planning, public relations, corporate communications and research in the book industry.

As he looks to his new job, Rice sees himself being part of an agency that is already on the right track.

"I love what Gary started and the team that he has assembled. I won't change the direction Gary set, but this will be an opportunity to expand and to build on that legacy," says Rice.

He says Faith Alive will continue to publish curricula and books that have a Reformed perspective. The material will be written and packaged and promoted in a way that keeps Faith Alive on a par with any of the other quality publishing enterprises in its class, he adds. "A good book is a good book. It all starts with great content.”

At Zondervan, Rice was instrumental in launching books and other products by authors that included Rick Warren, Philip Yancey, Karen Kingsbury, Lee Strobel, Anne Graham Lotz, John Ortberg, Rob Bell and others. He also developed and led the communications strategy and launch for Today’s New International Version (TNIV).

He served most recently as the vice president of book marketing, responsible for leading and directing all global marketing and public relations activities for Zondervan Book Group including strategic planning, author branding, product promotions, titles, cover creation, and public relations.

Rice grew up in West Michigan and earned a degree from Calvin College. Although he enjoyed and appreciated his career at Zondervan, there is something special about the chance to work in the denomination in which he grew up and where he has worshipped all of his life.

"This was really the one time in my life that I felt God tugging at my heart. I believe this is where God wanted me to land," says Rice, who begins the new job on Oct. 31.

He and his wife, Caroline, have two children, ages 11 and 10. They are members of Ivanrest Christian Reformed Church and are actively involved in service ministries. Mark is also entering his fourth year as a Calvinist Cadet leader.

Rice says his list of favorite authors changes regularly but at present includes: Shane Claiborne, Gary Thomas, Philip Yancey, John Ortberg, and C.S. Lewis.

While at Zondervan, he was involved in a number of award-winning product promotions and advertising campaigns, among them National Silver Anvil Award winner for the TNIV Bible communication and PR campaign (2006). He had various positions, including director of branding and communication and vice president of corporate communications.

-Chris Meehan, CRC Communications