Quarto has hired Polly Powell, owner of what now operates as Pavilion Books, as chief executive officer of the company’s UK operations, and executive director of the company. Powell had been working as an advisor to lead owner CK Lau since this past October. Andrea Giunti Lombardo, whose family bought 6.2 million shares in Quarto in its recent capital raise, has also joined the board, as non-executive director of the company. He replaces Michael Mousley. Powell said, “I am excited to be joining the Board of Quarto. I have enormous respect for CK, and I think that having Italian publisher and large bookstore chain owner, Giunti, as a major shareholder will be an exciting development for Quarto.”
On Friday, Wayne State University Press fired three veteran employees, raising all kinds of unanswered questions. They dismissed editor-in-chief Annie Martin (who has worked there since 1999); editorial, design, and production manager Kristin Harpster (who has worked there since 2003); and marketing and sales manager Emily Nowak. The press said the decision was “reached only after careful and deep consideration at every level” and said in a statement, “We believe, moving forward, our future can be created through leadership and staff collectively committed and open to new ideas, deeper community connectivity.” They say the layoffs “in no way (indicate) a lack of support for the press.”
At Chronicle Books, Lindsay Sablosky has been promoted to executive director of production. Kayleigh Jankowski has been promoted to production manager at Chronicle Chroma. Shona Burns has left the company and is launching her own consulting business for executive/leadership coaching and organization development.
Madelyn Burt has been promoted to contracts manager and agent at Stonesong.
Kelly Dyksterhouse and Kortney Price have joined Raven Quill Literary Agency as agents.
Events
Book Expo announced the lineup for its adult author breakfast on Thursday, May 28: MSNBC political analyst Zerlina Maxwell (The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide); Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (When the Light of the World was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through); Carmen Maria Machado (The Low, Low Woods); Rep. Ilhan Omar (This Is What America Looks Like); and Rebecca Roanhorse (Black Sun).
Bookselling
Bookery Manchester in New Hampshire, opened in 2018 by Liz Hitchcock and Jeremy Hitchcock, “has become a popular venue for pre-primary events, and even served as the home for several Democratic campaigns before they had real offices.”