THE FOUNDERS

“God is working out His purpose
He has planned for you and me.
Though from us it may be hidden,
Some day we shall plainly see."

These words express the way the founders view the development
of Baker Trittin Press. Only God could have made the arrangements
to bring two creative individuals from such varied backgrounds
to make this happen.

Dr. Marvin G. Baker

The words of a hymn or gospel song have often seemed the way God has chosen to provide directions for the next step for Marvin Baker.

Before starting Baker Trittin Press, Dr. Baker had retired three times. In 1979 he left his full-time teaching career. In 1989 he retired from an executive position with a parachurch ministry and returned to teaching for two more years. In 1996 he was sure he was through working when he retired after two years as operations manager for a large church. God had other plans and Caleb, the 85 year old patriarch, was mentioned to him.

Language arts - all four of them - have been a vital concern to him since he started teaching in 1949. "Literacy is more than reading, so we must promote all four of the language arts if we want a truly literate society," Baker emphasizes. As an elementary classroom teacher, a high school English teacher, creative writing instructor, college speech professor, or teaching language arts methods courses, Baker has enjoyed, encouraged, and cajoled students to develop all four of the language arts, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. "I have great concern for the reluctant reader, but I am also interested in developing the writing potential of high school wannabe authors."

A native of Kokomo, Indiana, Baker received a doctoral degree from Ball State University. His dissertation, Motivation for the Release of Creativity Through Creative Writing, may well have been the basis for his 2006 idea for the Tweener Time Chapter Book Competition. This invitation to high school students to write an adventure book for tweeners, 8-to-12-year-olds, resulted in submissions from 11 foreign countries and 20 states. The winners of the first annual competition were announced on October 1st, 2007.

On October 15th of that year he announced the Tweener Time Cover Design Competition. High school students were invited to compete for the cover design of the winning book, Journey to the Homeland, by Hannah Stahlhut. The winning artist received a $44,000 scholarship from Anderson University.

Dr. Baker declares more ways to DEVELOP CREATIVE POTENTIAL will be announced by Baker Trittin Press and Tweener Ministries in the future.

His love for gospel music almost equaled his love for teaching. In 1973 he took The Singing Travelers, a group of nine high school students, on a 29 day tour to South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and Hong Kong. His singers also did concerts in 40 states and Canada.

His poetry, articles, and songs have appeared in both Christian and secular periodicals. Dr. Baker is currently writing the Gospel Storyteller Series in which will be telling the story found in each of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts.

Dr. Baker lives in Warsaw, Indiana.

Paul S. Trittin

Paul S. Trittin, president of Baker Trittin Press, is a Southern California native who has not lost his love of the West. A native of Los Angeles, he jokes that for years he thought snow was a destination instead of a happening. Now he lives in northern Indiana.

Trittin did not choose publishing as a career; it chose him. Although he was accepted for the Chenard School of Art, he chose to attend Vanguard University. His military service and the persistent demand to decide on a college major is probably the primary reason he never pursued a formal college degree. His non-conforming, creative bent was revealed in his choice of classes. He took those that appealed to him which made it difficult to earn a degree without becoming a professional student.

His creative educational journey was interrupted by military service. While in the army during the Viet Nam War, he served in the U.S. Army's Congressional liaison which put him in contact with both the White House and Congress. Later several opportunities open to him deterred his return to pursuing a formal college education. His thirst for knowledge was not abated, and he gained expertise in a variety of disciplines.

Following his military service he returned to California and before the age of twenty-five had become vice president of three different companies. Without a college degree or ministerial training he was asked to serve his denomination as a facilitator in establishing the International Correspondence Institute with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. In this capacity he supervised the production of Christian educational materials used worldwide in classes ranging from elementary to seminary levels.

While living in Brussels, he was the only American invited to enter his paintings in the Belgian Flemish National Art Festival. As a result Trittin was commissioned by the Bank of America to do a series of four paintings of Native Americans for their International Headquarters in London.

Returning to the United States he was Director of Operations for Life Publishers International, a multi-language publisher of Bibles, curriculum, and inspiration books. LPI was later purchased by Zondervan. In 1987 he moved to Kansas City and opened a gallery specializing in Oriental rugs, antique artifacts, fine art, and interior design.

He and Dr. Baker joined their special talents in the formation of Baker Trittin Concepts in 2001 while in Grand Haven, Michigan. For the next two years they did publication consulting. In 2003 they began publishing books for tweeners and changed the name to Baker Trittin Press to more accurately reflect their business and ministry interests. They moved their offices to Winona Lake, Indiana, in 2004.

Mr. Trittin resides in Warsaw, Indiana.