The story
Island Press originated in northern California in 1978 as a publisher of books on the human relationship to the natural world. In 1984, the press re-organized to focus exclusively on books for people working on solutions to environmental problems, defined broadly to include the protection of biodiversity, land use planning, environmental issues related to international trade, and other topics. As part of this refocusing, Island Press moved its main office to Washington, D.C., where it remains today. The founders in 1984 were Catherine Conover, Walter Sedgwick, Barbara Dean, and Charles Savitt. Savitt stepped down as president on April 30, 2016. David Miller was named the new president.
Beginning with just a handful of titles per year and only three employees, Island Press has grown into a 30-person organization, governed by a 16-member Board of Directors comprising representatives from the scientific, philanthropic, academic, and conservation communities. Since 1984, Island Press has sold over 3 million books.
From Wikipedia’s article on Island Press, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3