Three employees of Wayne State University Press who were fired earlier this month will return to work on Tuesday. The university let go editor-in-chief Annie Martin; design and production manager Kristin Harpster; and sales/marketing director Emily Nowak on February 14 without providing a reason. The firings resulted in a public outcry, including from the editorial board and sixty writers, editors and people who are affiliated with the press. Additionally, The Detroit News reports that a representative for Wayne State said the university re-hired interim director Kathryn Wildfong to make personnel decisions moving forward.
In advance of the London Book Fair, there will be another celebration of Sonny Mehta‘s life in books at 4:00 PM on Monday March 9, at One Marylebone, London NW1 4AQ. A drinks reception will follow, and attendees are asked to register ahead of time by email to sonnymehtalondonmemorial@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk.
Separately, LBF’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award in International Publishing will be given to Bloomsbury chief executive Nigel Newton at an event on March 10, presented by Stefan von Holtzbrinck.
Corporate
LSC Communications announced that Sententia Group nominated six individuals to stand for election as directors at LSC’s annual meeting. According to the release, “LSC has a diverse and experienced Board consisting of eight directors, seven of whom are independent, and all of whom are seasoned leaders who possess significant experience relevant to the Company’s business. The Corporate Responsibility & Governance Committee regularly reviews the composition and size of the Board in order to ensure that it has the right mix of skills and experience to support and advise LSC.”
Since the merger with Quad fell apart in July 2019, LSC has closed eight facilities and let 2,500 employees go. Their stock was delisted by the New York Stock Exchange, and shares currently trade at a market cap of less than $10 million. The nominations suggest that Sententia Group, a Bethany Beach-based hedge fund, is dissatisfied with the progress or strategy to date. The date of the shareholder meeting hasn’t been announced, but has been previously held in September or April.
Press release