MESSAGE RECEIVED SUNDAY NIGHT FROM PUBLISHER GEOFF WALKER

R.I.P. GERARD REID

Just to let you know that Gerard Reid, a leading figure in New Zealand publishing, died in Auckland this afternoon. Gerard died quietly and calmly at home in his Freemans Bay apartment where he'd been ill for the past few weeks -- with his wife Mary Egan and their children around him.

Gerard's funeral will be held at Sacred Heart College, West Tamaki Road, Glen Innes, at 10.30am on Wednesday 21 April. Gerard and his six brothers all attended Sacred Heart College and in fact later this week the college will be opening a new wing in honour of Gerard's late father, Professor John Reid.

In the 1980s Gerard Reid was the first fulltime director of the combined Book Publishers Association which brought together book importing companies and local publishers. He was also a leading figure in the establishment of Copyright Licensing Ltd, which distributes income from the licensing of reprographic or photocopring rights.

Gerard was an innovator, and a technology wizard. Later, Gerard and Mary established Egan Reid, a major supplier of typesetting and related services to New Zealand publishing. More recently Gerard and Mary have gone global, linking up with Pindar and making their company a supplier of worldwide publishing services.

Sad times.

Footnote:
The book trade has lost an outstanding advocate and contributor, his family have lost a loving and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle and cousin. The Bookman extends his deeperst sympathy to them .
Gerard is a great loss to us all.