PRESS RELEASE
Geppi Family Enterprises (GFE), a leading distributor, licensor, publisher, grader, manufacturer, and creator of pop culture products worldwide, has announced that J.C. Vaughn has been promoted to President, Gemstone Publishing.
Vaughn, whose previous title was Vice-President of Publishing, has been leading Gemstone since 2009.
Best known as the home of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Gemstone Publishing was formed in 1994 by GFE President, Chairman, and CEO Steve Geppi as a conduit for his efforts to preserve and promote the history of the comics medium.
As President, Vaughn will expand the services and information provided by Gemstone and develop several new publishing initiatives. He will continue to oversee the Guide and its new iterations, carrying on its legacy of more than five decades of foundational service to the secondary comic book market.
This move comes as Gemstone recently launched Overstreet Access, an online Comic Book Price Guide and collection management platform. As part of their continued investment in Overstreet Access, GFE has also hired Shawn Sippel as Director, Digital Strategy, GFE. He will partner with Vaughn as well as other GFE business leaders on digital initiatives and will report to Chief Creative Officer, Josh Geppi. Prior to GFE, Sippel served as an independent contractor and was a key architect for the development of Overstreet Access. He will continue to focus on the platform as well as other digital initiatives across the enterprise.
“Since coming to Gemstone in 1995, J.C. has shown himself to be a true believer in the power of comics. Early on he embraced the concept that the services Geppi Family Enterprises provides as a whole, are greater than the sum of the individual parts and he’ll carry that commitment forward in this new role,” said Steve Geppi. “And after working with Shawn Sippel to make Overstreet Access a reality, I’m confident he has the same approach. Exciting times are ahead for Gemstone, Overstreet Access, and GFE!”
Vaughn said, “Over my career at Gemstone, I’ve had the honor of working with Steve Geppi, Bob Overstreet, Mark Huesman, Amanda Sheriff, Yolanda Ramirez, and an incredible team of people dedicated to providing data and context for comic book collectors, dealers, and historians. I’ve also been privileged to collaborate with the cream of the crop in terms of cover artists, designers, and writers. Now that we’ve entered the online arena with Overstreet Access, I look forward to continuing to work with Shawn Sippel and the entire GFE enterprise to support and grow the industry we all love.”
