People Round-Up, Mid-January 2015

PEOPLE

Nathaniel Marunas was named Publisher at Quercus US. Jason Bartholomew, who is based in the UK, is Director in addition to his current role as Rights Director for Hodder, Headline, John Murray Press, and Quercus.

In children’s publishing, Michael Eisenberg joined Highlights in the newly created role of Director, Book Marketing. He will report to VP Print and eBook Sales and Marketing Jack W. Perry. Eisenberg has been Consultant at Highlights for the past five years and was previously SVP and Co-Publisher of Children’s Books at Farrar, Straus & Giroux. . .Michelle Bayuk joined Quarto Publishing Group US in the newly created position of Associate Director Children’s Book Marketing, Publicity, and Social Media. She was previously Associate Sales and Marketing Director at Egmont Publishing. . . Martha Rago will join Random House/Golden Books Young Readers Group as Creative Director in February. She was previously Associate Creative Director at HarperCollins Children’s. . . Sandee Roston left her position as Publicity Director at HarperCollins Children’s and can be reached at sandee.roston@gmail.com. . . Tim Ditlow joined Epic! as VP of Content. He was most recently Associate Publisher, Children’s Audio at Amazon.

Rebekah Anderson joined Sasquatch Books as Director of Marketing. She was most recently Supervisor, Customer Engagement Communications at Puget Sound Energy.

Ami Webster McConnell joined Howard Books as VP, Editor-in-Chief. Previously, she was Senior Acquisitions Editor for Fiction at HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

Disney/Hyperion hired Kieran Viola as Senior Editor. She was previously Editor at Alloy Entertainment.

Taylor Sperry joined Melville House as Editor. She was previously at Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Holly LaDue is now Acquisitions Editor at Prestel Publishing US, based in NY. She was previously Freelance Editor for Rizzoli.

Sarah Carstens joined Rizzoli as Client Publisher Sales Manager. She was formerly Sales Manager, Stationary & Calendars at teNeues Publishing.

At literary agencies, Camille Goldin joined Ann Rittenberg Agency as Agent while Penn Whaling has left. . . Andrea Hurst is retiring from the agency division of Andrea Hurst & Associates after 13 years. She will continue to work as Developmental Editor and Consulting.

Kristi Pfeffer joined Timber Press as Senior Designer. Formerly, she was Art Director at Lark Crafts.

Sharon Hancock is retiring from her position as Executive Director of Library Marketing and Outreach at Candlewick after more than 10 years with the company. She can be reached at sharonbostonmail@gail.com.

Frank Weihenig joined Gutenberg Technology as VP, Sales, US. Formerly, he was Director Business Development-Prepress at codeMantra, LLC.

Katie Powell Bell joined Icon Media Group as Senior Publicist. She was previously Senior Publicist at HarperCollins Christian.

Chila Woychik retired as Managing Editor at Port Yonder Press after 5 years with the company and can be reached at woychikchila@gmail.com.

Bob Minzesheimer will work Part-Time at the Village Bookstore in Pleasantville, NY in addition to working as Freelance Book Critic. He was previously at USA Today as Books Reporter.

PROMOTIONS

Madeline McIntosh has announced a major reorganization of the editorial departments at Penguin Random House. Chief among the changes, Brian Tart has moved from President and Publisher of Dutton, Gotham, and Avery to Viking President and Publisher. His predecessor Clare Ferraro is leaving the company after 16 years. Andrea Schulz is now Viking’s Editor-in-Chief. She was previously Editor-in-Chief at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kate Stark joins the Viking imprint as VP, Associate Publisher, Director of Marketing in addition to her position as Marketing Director of Riverhead. Meanwhile, Ivan Held was promoted to President of Putnam and Dutton, which will continue as separate imprints. Previous Viking VP, Associate Publisher and Director of Marketing Nancy Sheppard is now VP, Director, Advertising and Promotions for Penguin Publishing Group. Additionally, the Gotham and Hudson Street imprints will be discontinued; their lists merged into other imprints. Gotham Editorial Director Lauren Marino will leave the company after 20 years.

Rachel Meier was promoted to the newly created position of Publishing Manager, Crown, Crown Archetype, Hogarth, Broadway, Three Rivers Press, and Tim Duggan Books.

Hachette Book Group promoted SVP Finance and Controller Stephen Mubarek to EVP, CFO, taking over for Tom Maciag, who will retire in March after 35 years with the company. Additionally, Executive Director, Operations Frank Casolaro will succeed Gerry Cummings as SVP, Distribution when he retires at the end of March. Cummings has been with the company for 25 years.

John Deen was promoted to Trade Sales Director at Rizzoli.

Kent Carroll was named Publisher-at-Large at Europa Editions. He has been Co-Publisher there since 2005. Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri will continue as Editorial Directors, assuming more responsibilities in the company’s operations. Editor-in-Chief Michael Reynolds will oversee daily operations in the company’s New York offices.

Tessa Woodward was promoted to Senior Editor at Morrow/Avon.

Kathryn Hamilton was promoted to Editor at HarperOne.

St. Martin’s Press promoted Sara Goodman to Senior Editor.

At Tor/Forge, Kristin Sevick was promoted to Senior Editor. Meanwhile, Cassandra Ammerman was promoted to Senior Marketing Manager, Alex Cameron to Publishing Operations Administrator, and Sarah Romeo to Designer.

Irene Kim was promoted to Visual Content Coordinator at Chronicle Books.

Rachel Bomberger was promoted to Director of Marketing at Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Tom Thompson was promoted to SVP, Digital Strategy/Group Director at Verso Advertising.

Disney/Hyperion promoted Laura Schreiber to Editor.

DULY NOTED

Book Expo America’s opening event will feature author Jonathan Franzen.

BC Partners and Holtzbrinck Publishing Group have agreed to merge Springer Science + Business and Macmillan Science and Education. Once merged, the company will be under the control of Holtzbrinck (Macmillan) with funds advised by BCP (Springer). Derk Haank is CEO, Annette Thomas is Chief Scientific Officer, Martin Mos is COO, and Ulrich Vest is CFO. Holtzbrinck Chairman Stefan von Holtzbrinck, BCP Vice Chairman Ewald Walgenbach, Holtzbrinck’s Michael Brockhaus and Jens Schwanewedel and BCP’s Hans Haderer and Christian Mogge will be on the supervisory board.