April Powers joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators as its inaugural chief equity & inclusion officer on June 3. Most recently she ran her own global inclusion consulting and training firm, First Impression Rx, after serving in diversity roles at Nestlé USA and Amgen.
Michael Roberts has been named interim executive director for The Center for Fiction, effective June 30, while a national search is conducted for a permanent executive director. Most recently executive director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, his background includes 11 years as executive director of PEN American Center.
Peter Knox has joined Book Highlight as vice president and head of marketing. He was previously senior marketing manager at Wiley. Brian Morrison joins as head of creative and strategy. He was previously creative director and digital advertising and marketing operations director at Wiley.
Simon & Schuster celebrates completion of the installation of solar panels on the roof of their Riverside distribution facility in New Jersey. The installation is “expected to generate 2.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year…and to match nearly one-third of the facility’s electricity needs.”
Bookselling
The NYT profiled Bookshop.org, noting that it is on track “to exceed $40 million in sales this year.” Sales continue to accelerate, registering approximately $4.5 million in May, and more than $7 million in the first two weeks of June.
Barnes & Noble opens a new store in Sarasota, FL today, at University Town Center.