CAROL STREAM, Ill.—September 10, 2020—Tyndale House Ministries (@tyndalehouse) has announced that Mark Taylor, Chairman and CEO, will retire at the end of the current fiscal year (March 2021) after serving 47 years at the company. Mark will retain his position as Chairman of the Board. Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors of Tyndale House Ministries (THM), Vice Chairman Doug McConnell said, “Mark Taylor has been an exceptional leader not only for Tyndale House but for the greater Christian publishing industry. His influence has also touched ministries throughout the world through Tyndale House Foundation. As the Board searches for the next CEO, we are confident in the leadership team to carry forward the mission of THM.”
Mark began working at Tyndale House when he was in sixth grade, sending out copies of Living Letters, a paraphrase of the New Testament epistles created by his father, Kenneth Taylor. Mark shared, “I started working in the company after school each day, packing and shipping books to bookstores.” Eventually, Mark’s father would paraphrase the entire Bible, which would become known as The Living Bible. Mark continued to be involved in the operations of the company, and as a senior in high school, he worked alongside his father, providing editorial support for products being published at the time.
While attending Duke University, Mark became involved with the work of Tyndale House Foundation, a charitable organization started in 1963 by Ken and Margaret Taylor using the royalties from the sales of Living Letters and The Living Bible. After graduation from college, Mark became Executive Director of Tyndale House Foundation, helping guide the distribution of grants that support Christian ministry and mission work around the world. In 1984, Mark became President and CEO of Tyndale House Publishers.
In addition to the many responsibilities of managing a successful publishing company, Mark led the development of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), serving as chief stylist and chairman of the Translation Committee. Regarding his work at Tyndale House, Mark shared, “Although there have been many highlights, the single most rewarding project of my career was my participation with the Bible Translation Committee for the NLT. It was a long, multiyear project, and I had the joy of guiding the committee through every step of creating this wonderfully dynamic translation. More recently, I orchestrated the merger of Tyndale House Publishers and Tyndale House Foundation to form the not-for-profit Tyndale House Ministries.”
Throughout his tenure as CEO, Mark has maintained a steadfast commitment to Tyndale’s mission and fostered an environment of professional excellence and integrity. He championed the publication of many successful and life-changing works such as the McGee and Me video series, the Left Behind series, and the Life Application Study Bible. The success of these and other products resulted in Tyndale’s growth to become one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world.
The Taylor family’s legacy of generosity continues to guide the work of Tyndale House Publishers and Tyndale House Foundation. Revenue from the publishing enterprise helps support ministries involved with Bible translation, Christian publishing, leadership development, theological education, and humanitarian aid.
A celebration to express appreciation for Mark’s dedication to his work and the legacy of the Taylor family will take place in March 2021. The theme of the event will be, “Celebrate the Legacy, Embrace the Future.”
The executive search firm CarterBaldwin, which specializes in assisting Christian ministries, will work alongside the Search Committee of the THM Board to identify the next CEO of Tyndale House Ministries as they consider both internal and external candidates.
“As I look to the future,” Mark says, “I am excited about what lies ahead for Tyndale House. I believe the world needs Tyndale now more than ever, and Tyndale is ready to respond. We have a strong Board, an excellent executive team, and a wonderfully dedicated staff. Together we will continue to joyfully pursue our mission: ‘To minister to the spiritual needs of people, primarily through publication of literature consistent with biblical principles and through grants to other charitable entities.’”
Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and also offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh, new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, contributing a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million dollars throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.
Contact: Katie Dodillet, Director of Public Relations, katiedodillet@tyndale.com
