I am the Chairman & CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the U.S. Our company is privately-held. I have worked at the company for a total of fourteen years.

I began my publishing career at Word Publishing while a student at Baylor University. I worked at Word for a total of six years. In addition to serving as Vice President of Marketing at Thomas Nelson in the mid-80s, I also started my own publishing company, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, with my partner Robert Wolgemuth in 1986. Word eventually acquired our company in 1992.

I was a successful literary agent from 1992 until early 1998. I have also written four books, one of which landed on the New York Times bestseller list where it stayed for seven months. I am currently working on two new books, which I plan to announce closer to publication.

I joined Thomas Nelson for the second time in 1998. Since that time I have worked in a variety of roles in both divisional and corporate management. I was promoted to President and COO in February 2004 and CEO in August 2005. I am also the former Chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (2006–2010).

My Interests

While I love my work, it is not the most important thing in my life. That position belongs to my family. I have been married to my wife, Gail (follow her on Twitter @GailHyatt), for thirty-two years. We have five daughters, a grandson, and three granddaughters. We live outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, running, and golfing. I am a member of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where I have served as a deacon for twenty-three years.

My Blog

If you are new to my blog, here are a few of my most popular posts:

• Advice to First-Time Authors
• Before You Quit Your Job
• Creating a Life Plan
• Five Rules for Better Presentations
• Goal-Setting: The 90-Day Challenge
• How to Shave Ten Hours Off Your Work Week
• Slay Your Dragons Before Breakfast
• The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter
• The Importance of a Leader’s Heart
• The Perfect Moment