Following the appointment of Amy Einhorn as president and publisher of Holt last September, the publisher’s chairman Steve Rubin will move on. He writes, “I have just celebrated my tenth anniversary at Henry Holt and, after considerable thought, have decided this is the perfect time to move on. My time here has been among the happiest in my career because not only has Holt been reborn and reenergized, but also working at Macmillan has been so satisfying. I spent 30 years at various incarnations of Bantam Doubleday Dell and Random House, and while I was for the most part very content there, the stark cultural difference when I arrived at the Flatiron Building invigorated me. Those days are behind us, but the familial aspects of this company are to be cherished. Personally, I have come to adore and respect the hugely talented, deeply committed folk at Holt.”
He notes, “I leave secure in the fact that Holt is in the able hands of Amy Einhorn. I will miss my Holt colleagues as well as my treasured friends at our sister companies. And what of the future? Watch this space.”
In a separate memo, Macmillan ceo John Sargent notes, “In the last decade [Rubin] has published many of our biggest books, and Holt has the best years in its long history under his watch. He leaves us with a remarkable track record. I have always admired Steve Rubin. He is a great publisher and a great friend to many. He is always there. Always.” Sargent also recalls, “At Macmillan, Steve was audacious from the start. In his first big meeting he looked Stefan [von holtzbrinck] in the eye and said ‘I hope you brought your checkbook.’ Over the years I have come to count on his abundant good cheer, chutzpah and unfailing optimism. Steve is unsurpassed as a showman. Who could ever forget the board presentation in Elton John glasses?”