Alec Harris is President of GIA Publications, Inc., a leading publisher of music education resources, liturgical music, hymnals, and recordings with more than 6,000 titles in print and a full-time staff of 55 employees.
Alec has a strong passion for publishing innovative resources and music of the highest possible quality, and has been proud to work with some of the leading music educators of our time, including Edwin E. Gordon, James Jordan, Eugene Corporon, Weston Noble, John M. Feierabend, Tim Lautzenheiser, H. Robert Reynolds, James O. Froseth, and many more. He has worked tirelessly to advance the cause of quality music education for all ages.
Alec joined GIA in 1987 after receiving a BA with honors in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and working for two years as a newspaper reporter and editor in the Washington, DC area. Alec is the fourth generation in his family in the music business. His great-grandfather opened and managed the Carl Fischer retail music store in downtown Chicago in the 1890s. His father, Ed (now retired) acquired GIA in 1967 and first established GIA as a music education publisher.
Since joining GIA, Alec has devoted his attention to bringing technological innovation to music publishing, establishing the OneLicense.net subsidiary, and building a visionary editorial team. He serves on the Executive Committees of the Church Music Publisher’s Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Association of Catholic Publishers. He is also past president of Chicago Sinai Congregation, which is located on Chicago’s Near North Side with 950 families as members.
Alec lives in Oak Park, Illinois, with his wife and two children.