On February 8, 2024, at the PubWest Conference in Maricopa, Arizona, PubWest awarded its 2024 Jack D. Rittenhouse Award to Howard W. Fisher of The Fisher Company.

The Rittenhouse Award was established in 1990 as a way to thank and honor those who have made an important contribution to the Western community of the book. The award is given annually in memory of Jack D. Rittenhouse, the West’s legendary bookman. Howard accepted the Rittenhouse Award from PubWest Board Member David Hetherington of Books International.

Howard began his publishing career with the family business HPBooks while still in college. Over the years he has owned five publishing companies, and worked as an executive at Slawson Communications, Pfeiffer & Company, and Perseus Books. Howard has been President of PMA (now IBPA), and was Chairperson of the NYU Management Forum for Independent Publishers program for three years.

Howard was very closely involved in the sale of the family publishers, HPBooks, to Knight Ridder Newspapers and Fisher Books to the Perseus Books Group. In 2002 he founded The Fisher Company, to help guide entrepreneurial publishers through the inevitably complex mergers and acquisitions process. Now, 22 years after its founding, The Fisher Company has worked with more than 200 publishers, and now works internationally. Their clients are based in Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, South Africa, United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

The philosophy of Howard’s company has been to ease the path for entrepreneurs selling their business during a transaction. And testimonials from his colleagues is proof positive that Howard’s dedication to publishing has never wavered. His friendship with so many publishing folk speaks volumes about his passion for our industry.

As PubWest member Brad Farmer of Gibbs Smith says, "Howard has been a publisher, business advisor to publishers, and participant in PubWest panels and events for several decades. His first question whenever you talk to him is always, "How's business?" – but despite his formidable analysis skills and experience he is a book person first and foremost."

Howard W. Fisher and
PubWest Board Member
David Hetherington