Knopf and Pantheon publishing director Pat Johnson has decided to “take early retirement, and pursue some long-held dreams,” Knopf president Tony Chirico writes in a staff memo. He notes: “Often Pat will describe her job to colleagues in this way: ‘I do the work Sonny and Tony like to avoid.’ And to be honest, she’s right. Because there are some things we do tend to avoid, even though they are essential to keeping a company running smoothly. So you could say that Pat has kept our company running smoothly for the last sixteen years…. It is a job she has done remarkably well, and we have been fortunate to have her as our colleague.”
As of January, Chris Gillespie is being promoted to svp, associate publisher for Knopf, Pantheon and now Schocken as well, assuming Johnson’s responsibilities and reporting to Chirico. At the same time, Knopf creative marketing director Anne-Lise Spitzer will have expanded responsibility for Pantheon and Schocken, too, reporting to Gillespie. Doubleday director, sales management and planning Beth Meister will add Knopf, Pantheon and Schocken to her portfolio, continuing to report to Suzanne Herz for Doubleday titles, and reporting to Gillespie for the other three imprints.