Ellen Archer has been hired as president of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Publishing, reporting to ceo Linda Zecher, as of December 7. She takes over from Gary Gentel, “who will retire in 2016.” Archer will be “based primarily” in the New York office, but will also spend time in the company’s Boston headquarters. Archer was president and publisher of Hyperion for 5 years, prior to its sale to Hachette Book Group.
Zecher says in the announcement, “For almost a decade, Gary Gentel has led HMH Trade Publishing, spearheading our transition into new media and channels, while building our legacy of award-winning content and authors. His leadership has resulted in revenue growth of over 60 percent for HMH Trade, earning him the respect of his team, the entire HMH business, and his peers across the industry. He will be missed by all.” Zecher adds, “I’m thrilled that Ellen has agreed to join us as we continue to leverage the connection between our core education business and our consumer publishing business, expanding into new genres, further developing our brands and properties, and delivering content in new ways and to new audiences.”
Jaime Levine will join Diversion Books as publisher on January 4. She was most recently executive editor at Grand Central and Thomas Dunne Books. Co-founder and ceo of Diversion Publishing Scott Waxman says in the announcement, “What began as a way to maximize digital rights for backlist has evolved into a full-fledged publisher in all formats, looking for great books and publishing them to as wide an audience as possible. While we continue to innovate in digital, we place an emphasis on the best that traditional publishing can offer, and Jaime gives us that.”
Diversion Books editorial director Mary Cummings will move over into the the new role of director of business development for Diversion. While she will continue to acquire titles for Diversion, her focus will be on leading the newly-formed Diversion Distribution Services, which includes the EverAfter Romance brand announced earlier this year, “providing self-published authors with access to traditional print sales and distribution.”
At HarperCollins, svp, international sales at Harper US David Wolfson will assume the additional role of open market leader for both the US and UK divisions. Wolfson will continue to report to Josh Marwell and will have a dotted line to Harper UK group sales director Oliver Wright, while UK open market sales directors Laura Christie and Pauline Gilbert will have a dotted line to Wolfson.
At Thompson Literary Agency, Cindy Uh has been promoted to senior agent.
At Penguin Random House Canada, senior executive sales director Janet Joy Wilson will now oversee all client publisher business, including Candlewick, Bloomsbury Young Readers, National Geographic Kids and Europa Editions, in addition to client publishers she is already working with. Wilson will now report to Barry Gallant.
Distribution
Insight Editions will move sales and distribution of their books in North America and the open market to Simon & Schuster as of July 1, 2016.