Mark Dressler at the Frankfurt Book Fair

By Hannah Johnson

Just before Christmas, we lost a wonderful friend and colleague, Mark Dressler. He passed away on December 23, 2015 after living with cancer for over a year.

Mark was an international publishing expert, wine and food enthusiast, and a competitive athlete. He was widely connected and respected throughout the publishing industry. Mark programmed conferences and stages at BookExpo America and the Frankfurt Book Fair. He was also a part owner of Bon Vin, a wine store in Traverse City, Michigan.

What I remember and admire most about Mark is his enduring happiness. He always had a smile and kind words for the people around him, regardless of whether we had just worked a long, stressful day at a book fair or whether we were catching up over a good meal. His optimism didn’t seem to waver, and his happiness never failed to lift my spirits.

Mark worked hard, loved life and inspired others to do the same. We will miss him.