Joan Sharp Joins Rand McNally as Vice President of Publishing and Education

SKOKIE, Ill., March 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Joan Sharp, a highly-respected and dedicated leader in the Publishing industry, has joined Rand McNally as Vice President and General Manager of Publishing and Education. Sharp will be responsible for driving business initiatives across retail and school channels.

"We are excited to welcome Joan and are confident that her innovative ideas and successful track record of leading effective campaigns will help grow our prized Publishing and Education businesses," said Stephen Fletcher, CEO of Rand McNally. "Joan's wealth of experience in both the Publishing and Education fields, make her an invaluable addition to our leadership team."

Sharp will spearhead the expansion of Rand McNally's core Publishing business to include more aspirational content, children's reference and activity products, and a host of North American-based publications. She will oversee the retail distribution channels for these new products as well as distribution of the company's cornerstone line of America's #1 Road Atlases.

Additionally, Sharp will be responsible for reshaping and expanding Rand McNally's presence in the classroom as "the authority in K-12 geographic literacy."

"We are committed to helping teachers incorporate geography into subjects across the curriculum and plan to launch an awareness campaign this spring to reintroduce the Rand McNally brand and our suite of turn-key teaching resources," Sharp explained.

"According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the employment of geography specialists is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022 – a much faster rate than the average 11 percent growth cited for all occupations," Sharp continued. "It's fundamentally important that K-12 students have the necessary skills and exposure to geography they'll need to fill workforce needs later in life." 

Prior to joining Rand McNally, Sharp served as Director of National Partnerships at Scholastic, Inc. where she organized national awareness campaigns with corporate, non-profit, and government agency partners. These campaigns, which took the form of community literacy events, custom books, and supplemental classroom educational materials engaged thousands of teachers, students, and parents across America and generated massive media coverage. She is widely respected for her strategic vision, ability to achieve powerful measurable results, and passion for her work.

About Rand McNally – Rand McNally is transforming personal and business travel with its revolutionary connected vehicle technology and consumer electronics. Celebrating 161 years in 2017, Rand McNally's mission is to deliver innovative products and services that enrich life's journey in four key segments: Consumer Electronics, Consumer Travel, Commercial Transportation, and Education. Learn more at randmcnally.com

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SOURCE Rand McNally