Andrews McMeel Universal has hired Andy Sareyan as president and CEO, effective November 3, reporting to chairman John McMeel and vice chairman Hugh Andrews. After relocating to Kansas City, Sareyan will oversee all AMU operations, comprising Universal Uclick, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and AMUSE. Sareyn was most recently president of National Journal Group and executive vice president at Atlantic Media. Prior to that he was president and chief brand officer at Meredith Corporation, after 18 years to Time Inc. in positions including president of Entertainment Weekly and founding publisher of Real Simple. McMeel says in the announcement, “His exceptional experience and understanding of the worlds of publishing, digital media, licensing, branding, and marketing make him the ideal choice.”
At Grand Central Publishing, Amanda Pritzker has been promoted to brand director, Nicholas Sparks, and marketing manager for the overall company. In addition, Joseph Benincase has been named assistant manager, online marketing. Previously he was a marketing and publicity assistant at Blue Rider Press.
Victoria Matsui has resigned her associate editor position at Little, Brown and is available for freelance editorial work. She can be reached at victoria.matsui@gmail.com.
Melanie Koch has been promoted to director, subsidiary rights at Penguin Random House.
At Open Road, Stacy Horowitz has been promoted to publicity manager.
The NYT remembers Herbert Lottman, author of 17 books and PW’s longtime European correspondent, who died last month at age 87.
The shortlist was announced for the German Book Prize, with the winner to be named right before the opening of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Separately, changes being introduced by the Frankfurt Book Fair organizers include a new emphasis this year on “discoverability” (a welcome change from “year of the start-up), and include the introduction of a Viral Marketing Award, which sounds much better in German: “Virenschleuderpreis.”