As we celebrate 125 years of ABA, we're taking a look back at some of our past ABA Board Presidents.
Some of these presidents served during historic times like the 2008 recession or the early COVID days, others were just facing the comparatively normal (but ever-present) challenges of running a bookstore. But all of them believed in the importance of indie bookstores and were bolstered and comforted by the community they found in other ABA members.
Over the years, ABA Board Presidents have written to the membership in response to challenges, exciting events, or even just to check in.
Every fall, ABA opens nominations for the ABA Board of Directors. Since no one has a better understanding of the ABA Board than our Directors, we've collected quotes from a few of our past presidents about their time on the ABA Board.
“With my role at ABA, I can help our store by helping all of our stores — I can bring my enthusiasm and energy to a larger audience in hopes of spreading the word about all the good work we do together...Over my years on the Board, I have gotten to think about the future of bookselling with some of the most committed and brilliant minds in not just our business, but in my life.”
— Tegan Tigani, ABA Board President (2023–2025), Queen Anne Book Company (Seattle, Washington)
“I am incredibly grateful for the years I’ve spent on this Board. I know I have learned a great deal from my fellow Board Members.”
— Christine Onorati, ABA Board President (2021–2023), WORD Bookstores (Brooklyn, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey)
“I learned so much in my six years on the Board. The kind of learning where previously you didn’t even know what question to ask, or that there were questions to ask. Volunteer work like this is, at its best, a perfect balance of a humbling and enriching experience. I’m grateful to have had my share of both…Before I joined the ABA Board, I felt like it was a private club. That I needed an invite to participate. I was lucky/privileged. A colleague of mine nominated me. Yet, looking back, I feel it was almost irresponsible of me (to myself) that I let the whim of someone else’s nomination dictate whether I would enter into a significant role like this.”
— Robert Sindelar, ABA Board President (2019–2017), Third Place Books (Seattle, Washington)
“It was wonderful to work with booksellers from across the country who had a great variety of stores and shared almost all of the same principles and concerns. Working with the very professional and personable staff of the ABA was an enormous pleasure. It was extremely gratifying to try to solve the important issues facing independent bookstores.”
— Ann Christophersen, ABA Board President (2002–2004), Women & Children First (Chicago, Illinois)
All of these quotes were pulled from letters from the Board Presidents to the membership or from BookWeb interviews during their Board service.
Nominations for the ABA Board of Directors are currently open!
The deadline for nominations is Sunday, October 12.