“Michael brings his passion for literature and care for writers to every conversation. In his position as Chair of Board at the Academy of American Poets, he helped lead the organization during a period of unprecedented growth, ensuring that programmatic expansion and expenditures were aligned with the organization's mission and goals to serve poets. He contributed marketing expertise that shaped a comprehensive rebranding effort to contemporize the organization's visual identity. He provided thoughtful management guidance to staff during the Covid-19 crisis. And, he helped transform and diversify the board by initiating new policies and processes ensuring that nominations and elections were transparent and orderly, and presented all members with a path to advance their leadership. His extensive knowledge and successful background in corporate publishing enabled him to share best-practices that could be scaled to resources available. A heartful leader, his commitment to the nonprofit literary arts sector is sincere and steadfast, and many organizations are stronger for it. “

Jen Benka, Philanthropic Advisor

“I have known Michael for almost thirty years. His career in the publishing world has been extraordinary.  I am the main shareholder of an esteemed publishing house in Chile that has been in a difficult economic situation and needed important changes in strategy and organization. Michael's help throughout 2024 has been relevant in all fields: strategy, editorial, marketing. process and sales. While I was not surprised by his knowledge, his ability to adapt it to a small company and to transmit it in a clear and precise way has been impressive. The result of the work means that the year 2025 will already present positive results.  I can only thank Michael for his work.”

Alfredo Vercelli, Founder of Educaria and CEO,  Zig Zag Publishing, Santiago, Chile

“It is exciting that Michael and Sheridan have launched their new business – Filmore Projects LLC--here in the Upper Hudson Valley.  In addition to being friends and neighbors, their distinguished careers in the fields of literature and the creative arts will no doubt benefit the community we all love and call home.”

Constance Kheel, President of The Persistence Foundation

 

“Between them, Michael Jacobs and Sheridan Hay offer tremendous experience, clarity of thinking, and skill. Michael knows publishing and organization-building inside and out. Sheridan is hugely skilled at manuscript evaluation and developmental editing. Together, they truly know how to launch creative projects and contend with tricky strategic and organizational challenges. They’re consistently nimble, effective, and generous professionals. In other words, they're a dream team.”

 Martha Cooley, Author of the bestselling The Archivist and the forthcoming My Little Donkey

 

“From Washington County, New York, comes news of Filmore Projects, a new enterprise that could not be more inventive, timely, or welcome. Publishing insiders Michael Jacobs and Sheridan Hay have opened a professional agency with a bold tripartite agenda:  Filmore Projects will coach not-for-profits and businesses focused on literary art. They will also guide writers seeking editorial input, stewardship, and promotion.  And they will launch a small, independent publishing house, Galpón Press, that will introduce both great new and well-loved books. 

Upstate writers used to look to Boston and New York City for this kind of help. Filmore Projects’ arrival ensures that downstate literary talent will now be looking north, and that upstate writers now have available a book-savvy and fully integrated resource north of the Mohawk River. At long last, in this beleaguered age for literary publishing, good news that should give writers hope and heart!”

Amy Godine, Saratoga Springs, New York.  Author, The Black Woods: Pursuing Racial Justice on the Adirondack Frontier, Cornell University Press, 2023 

“I met Michael later in his life when he was admitted to Yale as an Eli Whitney Student, one of a small cohort of mature students who decide to earn their college degrees after beginning a career. Michael was CEO at Abrams when he started Yale and was assigned to Timothy Dwight College where I was dean. I remember he told me he was relieved to be assigned to a dean who was older than he was. I was pleased to advise a student close to my age. He chose his courses and began. 

During his time at Yale and since, he and Sheridan and I have become friends. I learned about their work and their many skills and accomplishments. I do want to highlight that in their personal and professional lives each nurtures and supports the success of others — in the arts and in literature, of course — but also others’ projects, public service activity, and philanthropic work. It’s just in their natures to be generous with their talents and time, to advise and to help. It does not surprise me at all that they are beginning this particular new adventure. 

I can only imagine others will enjoy and benefit from the generosity of their company and the depth of what over the years they have learned from their lives and work. I certainly do.”

John Loge, Dean, Timothy Dwight College, Yale University