PRESS RELEASE
Scholarly Publishing Solutions and American Society of Plant Biologists Working Together
American Society of Plant Biologists Selects Scholarly Publishing Solutions to Support Publishing Services Review and RFP
Durham, NC — July 22, 2026 — The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) has selected Scholarly Publishing Solutions, LLC (SPS) to support a strategic review of the Society’s current publishing services arrangement and the development of a request for proposals for future publishing services.
The engagement will examine ASPB’s publishing needs across the full journal publishing lifecycle, including manuscript submission and peer review, editorial and production workflows, publishing technology, hosting, reporting, financial performance, vendor management, and ongoing support for authors, editors, and readers.
SPS will work with ASPB leadership, staff, editors, and governance stakeholders to assess the current arrangement, clarify future priorities, develop a market-ready RFP, and support the evaluation of potential publishing partners.
“We selected SPS for their deep industry expertise and complementary backgrounds, which together provide a comprehensive perspective on the services and evolving needs of a mature journal publishing program,” said Sarah Black, Vice President, Content & Communications at ASPB. “At a time of significant disruption across scholarly publishing, it is essential to have a partner who understands the nuances of the current landscape, can help us anticipate what may lie ahead, and facilitate a process as deeply important as this one for ASPB. We are very pleased to be working with SPS.”
ASPB publishes three internationally recognized journals: its flagship Plant Physiology, which is proudly celebrating its centennial in 2026; the high-impact journal The Plant Cell; and the fully Open Access, sound science journal Plant Direct, co-owned by the Society for Experimental Biology and Wiley The review will help the ASPB evaluate how its future publishing partnership focused on Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell can best support the two journals’ editorial goals, financial health, operational requirements, and service to the plant science community.
“We are delighted to work with ASPB and to support an organization whose journals play such an important role in advancing plant science,” said Jennifer Deyton, Co-Founder and Principal of SPS. “This project provides an opportunity to listen carefully to ASPB’s stakeholders, understand what is working well and where improvements are needed, and translate those insights into clear and practical requirements for a future publishing partner.”
The project reflects SPS’s broader mission to help scholarly societies and publishers make informed decisions about publishing operations, technology, vendor relationships, research integrity, and sustainable business models.
“SPS was created to bring experienced, independent, and practical guidance to scholarly publishing organizations facing complex strategic and operational decisions,” said Tony Alves, Co-Founder and Principal of SPS. “Our work with ASPB demonstrates the value of combining deep publishing operations expertise with technology, product, and vendor-management experience. We look forward to helping ASPB develop a process that is rigorous, transparent, and grounded in the Society’s mission.”
The project began in July 2026. Initial work will focus on reviewing ASPB’s current publishing services environment and gathering input from key stakeholders, followed by RFP development and support for the vendor evaluation process.
About the American Society of Plant Biologists
ASPB is a professional scientific society devoted to the advancement of the plant sciences worldwide. The Society publishes two of the most widely cited plant science journals, The Plant Cell and Plant Physiology, and co-publishes the open access journal Plant Direct. ASPB also hosts the annual Plant Biology conference; supports plant science outreach, engagement, and advocacy; and powers the Plantae digital ecosystem for plant scientists. Learn more about ASPB at https://aspb.org/.
About Scholarly Publishing Solutions
Scholarly Publishing Solutions, LLC is a North Carolina-based consulting firm founded by Jennifer Deyton and Tony Alves. SPS helps scholarly societies, publishers, and related organizations improve editorial and peer review operations, evaluate publishing systems and vendors, strengthen research integrity programs, develop RFPs, and prepare for the practical use of emerging technologies. SPS combines expertise in publishing operations, service delivery, technology strategy, product development, and scholarly communications infrastructure.
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Jenn Deyton and Tony Alves Announce New Partnership to Launch Scholarly Publishing Solutions
Two seasoned publishing leaders join forces to provide strategic consulting, workflow expertise, and innovation guidance for scholarly publishers.
Durham, NC — March 23, 2026 — Jenn Deyton and Tony Alves today announced their partnership in Scholarly Publishing Solutions (SPS), a new consulting firm dedicated to helping scholarly publishers navigate operational complexity, strengthen editorial and peer review processes, and prepare for the future of publishing.
Bringing together decades of experience across scholarly communications, editorial operations, workflow management, product strategy, and organizational leadership, Deyton and Alves have formed SPS to offer practical, high-value guidance to publishers, societies, and publishing organizations seeking expert support in a rapidly evolving environment.
Jenn Deyton is widely recognized for her leadership in editorial and peer review operations, including her success in growing J&J Editorial from a two-person operation into a multimillion-dollar company known for trusted service and operational excellence. Her experience spans manuscript and peer review management, editorial office leadership, client service, and the development of scalable support models for publishers and journals.
Tony Alves brings more than 35 years of scholarly publishing experience, including leadership in product development, software and workflow design, business development, client management, and organizational growth. Known for his work across journal publishing, scholarly communications infrastructure, research integrity, and publishing standards, Alves has built a reputation as an innovator and collaborator across commercial, society, and university press publishing.
Together, Deyton and Alves will offer consulting services in areas including peer review and editorial workflow optimization, publishing operations, research integrity, AI and emerging technologies in publishing, strategic planning, vendor and platform assessment, and organizational development.
“Scholarly publishing is facing a period of profound change, but also tremendous opportunity,” said Jenn Deyton. “Our goal is to bring practical experience, trusted perspective, and hands-on knowledge to organizations that want to improve performance while staying true to the values of the scholarly community.”
“Jenn and I share a deep commitment to service, quality, and innovation in scholarly communications,” said Tony Alves. “Scholarly Publishing Solutions is built to help publishers solve real operational and strategic challenges with solutions that are grounded in experience and aligned with the future of the industry.”
Scholarly Publishing Solutions will serve publishers, societies, university presses, and service organizations seeking expert guidance across the full publishing lifecycle. The firm’s approach emphasizes partnership, flexibility, and a strong understanding of both the human and technical dimensions of scholarly publishing.
For more information about Scholarly Publishing Solutions, please contact:
Jenn Deyton, Tony Alves
info@ScholarlyPublishingSolutions
www.scholarlypublishingsolutions.com
About Scholarly Publishing Solutions
Scholarly Publishing Solutions (SPS) is a consulting firm founded by Jenn Deyton and Tony Alves to support scholarly publishers with expert guidance in editorial and peer review workflows, publishing operations, research integrity, strategic planning, and innovation. SPS helps organizations align best practices, operational excellence, and emerging technologies in service of the scholarly community.