David C Cook
{{Short description|American nonprofit Christian publisher}}
{{Other uses|David Cook (disambiguation){{!}}David Cook}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2010}}
{{Infobox publisher
| image =
| parent =
| status =
| founded = 1875
| founder = David Caleb Cook
| successor =
| country = United States
| headquarters = Colorado Springs, Colorado
| distribution =
| keypeople = Bill Reeves, CEO{{Cite web |title=Leadership |url=https://davidccook.org/about/leadership/ |access-date=2023-12-23}}
| publications = Books
| topics =
| genre =
| imprints = {{unbulleted list|Kingsway|Gospel Light|Standard Publishing|Esther Press|Group Publishing}}
| revenue =
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| nasdaq =
| url = {{URL|https://davidccook.org}}
}}
David C Cook is an American nonprofit Christian publisher based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded as a provider of Sunday school curriculum and is a major publisher of these materials. It also publishes fiction and nonfiction books and distributes supporting materials like toys and games. Its best selling authors include Francis Chan, Gary Thomas, and J. Warner Wallace. For many years it published a Christian comic book, Sunday Pix, with stories about the adventures of Christian heroes in different eras and in many parts of the world.
History
An author and leader in the American Sunday school movement, David Caleb Cook, established the company in Chicago in 1875.{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Cook, David C. (1850-1927)|date=2002|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism|publisher=Westminster John Knox|last=Balmer|first=Randall|location=Louisville}} He was motivated to provide affordable educational materials for children who had been left homeless due to the Great Chicago fire.{{Cite web|url=https://davidcalebcook.org/about/|title=About|work=David Caleb Cook Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-03}}
Cook worked as a printer's devil in his father's print shop and as a volunteer in Sunday schools around Chicago. He adjudged that most available Sunday school literature "suffered from (containing) either loose theology or poor design".{{Cite web|url=http://practicalmattersjournal.org/2017/03/08/religion-is-our-business/|title="Religion…Is Our Business:" Religious Workers and Religious Work at the David C. Cook Publishing Company|date=2017-03-08|website=PracticalMattersJournal|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-04}} With his wife, Marguerite, he established a newspaper, Our Sunday School Gem, hoping to provide quality Sunday school literature before starting his eponymous publishing company. As the twentieth century began, the company moved to larger facilities in suburban Elgin, Illinois, northwest of Chicago. By the 1920s, the company produced more than 50 titles and had an annual circulation of two million.
The company moved its headquarters from Elgin to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1995.{{Cite news| pages = –1| last1 = Heilman| first1 = Wayne| title = Companies to bring in 650 jobs/ Publisher, IBM subsidiary announce plans for Springs| work = Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph| location = Colorado Springs, Colo.| date = 1993-10-02| id = {{ProQuest|268058412}}}} It operated with the name "Cook Communications Ministries" before reverting to "David C Cook" in 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1029153|title=David C Cook: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|work=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2019-05-03}}
In September 2021, former Frito-Lay Inc, Mac Tools, and Walmart executive John Aden was named chief executive officer for David C Cook.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-20|title=David C Cook names business visionary John Aden as new chief executive officer|url=https://religionnews.com/2021/09/20/david-c-cook-names-business-visionary-john-aden-as-new-chief-executive-officer/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Religion News Service|language=en-US}}
In December 2023, Bill Reeves, the former CEO of Educational Media Foundation, was named as chief executive officer.{{Cite web |title=David C. Cook Names Christian Entertainment Veteran Bill Reeves New CEO – MinistryWatch |url=https://ministrywatch.com/david-c-cook-names-christian-entertainment-veteran-bill-reeves-new-ceo/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |language=en-US}}
= Acquisitions and imprints=
David C Cook acquired Kingsway in 1993, Scripture Press/Victor Books in 1995,{{Cite web|title=Cook Purchases Scripture Press|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1996/february5/6t207a.html|access-date=2021-07-13|website=ChristianityToday.com|language=en}} and Integrity Music in 2011.{{Cite web| date= February 5, 1996| title = Cook Purchases Scripture Press| work = ChristianityToday.com| access-date = 2019-01-19| url = https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1996/february5/6t207a.html}}[http://www.hmmagazine.com/2011/06/david-c-cook-acquires-integrity-music/ David C Cook Acquires Integrity Music] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130103034601/http://www.hmmagazine.com/2011/06/david-c-cook-acquires-integrity-music/ |date=2013-01-03 }}. HM Magazine, June 2011.
In 2015, David C Cook acquired assets from Gospel Light and Standard Publishing, including the Gospel Light Curriculum line, the Standard Lesson Commentary, HeartShaper, and Route 52 Curriculum from Standard, among other products. The acquisition positioned David C Cook as the second largest Sunday School curriculum publisher in the world behind LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville.{{Cite web|url=http://www.davidccook.com/about/news/|title=David C Cook Acquires Gospel Light Curriculum|work=David C. Cook|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330090609/http://www.davidccook.com/about/news/|archive-date=2017-03-30|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-03-29}}{{cite web|url=http://www.christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/latest/28412-david-c-cook-acquires-standard-publishing-resources|title=David C Cook acquires Standard Publishing resources|first=Christine D.|last=Johnson|website=www.christianretailing.com}} In 2016, David C Cook Canada was bought by management and merged with Augsburg Fortress Canada. It is now called Parasource Marketing & Distribution.{{cite web|url=http://parasource.com/|title=Parasource|website=parasource.com|access-date=2016-09-26}}
In 2022, the Esther Press imprint was added, focusing empowerment of women as leaders in their communities and as disciples of Jesus.{{Cite web |last=Toomb |first=Sheri |date=2022-03-28 |title=David C Cook introduces Esther Press |url=https://rushtopress.org/david-c-cook-introduces-esther-press/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=Rush To Press |language=en-US}} In 2024, David C Cook acquired Group Publishing, a curriculum publisher.{{Cite web |last=Wingfield |first=Mark |date=2024-10-18 |title=David C. Cook acquires Group Publishing as market shifts again |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/david-c-cook-acquires-group-publishing-as-market-shifts-again/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Baptist News Global |language=en-US}}
Foundation
David C Cook is a nonprofit publisher which uses the proceeds from its sales for global ministry. The David C Cook Foundation was founded in 1942 by Francis Kerr Cook "to aid and promote the work of religious education without profit to any person or group". The projects of the foundation include providing The Life on Life curriculum and The Action Bible, translated into local languages, for children's ministry use around the world.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://davidccook.org/ Official website]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Book publishing companies based in Colorado
Category:Publishing companies established in 1875