Former chairman of ICM Jeff Berg, who left the company last fall after a protracted battle with other executives, will launch a new agency, Resolution, this week. Deadline reports the new agency has set up a Los Angeles office and will grow “to an anticipated staffing level of 35 agents plus support staff in LA, 25 agents in NYC, and 10 agents in Nashville” over the next six months. Among those set to join Resolution are book-to-film agents Rich Green, moving over after 9 years with CAA, and Shari Smiley, who operated her own outfit for the past year after 19 years with CAA. Resolution received more than $200 million in seed money from Najafi Cos., which owns Direct Brands (and in 2011, sought to buy Borders out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.)
In the UK, Bonnier will launch a new nonfiction imprint, Red Lemon Press, in fall 2013, focusing on “publishing books for adults and children of all ages that aims to bring solid facts in unexpected ways to anyone who is curious to know more about the world and beyond.” Martina Challis has been named publisher of the new imprint, reporting to Sarah Odendina. Red Lemon Press will share sales and marketing teams with Hot Key and will share foreign rights and co-edition teams with Weldon Owen.
At Ballantine Bantam Dell, Junessa Viloria has been promoted to editor and Ratna Kamath moves up to assistant editor.
Midpoint Trade will distribute London-based children’s book and app publisher Digital Leaf.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of In Our Image, as well as books including Vietnam: A History, Mao and China, and the memoir Paris in The Fifties, journalist and historian Stanley Karnow died in his sleep on Sunday at age 87.
Newsday looks at Penguin USA ceo David Shanks‘s ambitious plans for expansion–at the Long Island vineyard and farm he and his wife purchased last year. “In addition to the 25 acres of vines, he has planted an 1,800-tree apple orchard, and he plans to add peaches and nectarines this year. ‘Next year I’ll have 80,000 apples to sell,’ he said. He’s also planted two acres of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, and some 15 acres of vegetables.”