New Chief Executive for Methodist Publishing House

The Board of the Methodist Publishing House has announced theappointment of Martin Stone as the new Chief Executive of theHouse.

Martin is currently employed as an Assistant Chief LeisureServices Officer for Calderdale Council where he manages thelibrary service, the Council's Web Site and the Council's CustomerFirst public access centre. He is a past president of theAssociation of Assistant Librarians and former Chair of the LibraryAssociation Council.

Martin is also a local preacher in membership of BlackshawheadMethodist Church in the Upper Calder Circuit, West Yorkshire. Hehas previously lived in Walthamstow, Sudbury (Middlesex),Peterborough and Hexham (Northumberland). His experience within theChurch is equally wide from Sunday School teacher to Church CouncilSecretary and Circuit Local Preachers Secretary. He and his wife,Gaynor, met through MAYC when catering for groups from NorthernIreland as part of Operation Friendship.

Speaking today at the opening of the Publishing House newbuilding in Peterborough, Martin said, "This is an exciting time tobe joining MPH. The new building is a wonderful asset and I lookforward to working with the existing staff to serve the Connexion."Martin will start work in the autumn before the current ChiefExecutive, Mr Brian Thornton, retires later in the year.