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Praveen Madan joins as ceo and publisher. He was previously ceo at Kepler’s Books. The company states that it “has been facing financial difficulties over the past year due to several factors, including the lingering effects of the pandemic and market pressures within BK’s areas of publishing. Madan’s vision and turnaround experience will guide the company through these challenges to emerge stronger than ever.”

“Berrett-Koehler is wonderfully fortunate to welcome Praveen as our new CEO and publisher,” BK founder and senior editor Steve Piersanti said in a release. “Praveen brings the best of both outsider and insider experience through his business consulting career, followed by his dynamic independent bookselling leadership, combined with serving from 2009 to 2020 on the BK board of directors, including two years as board chair. Praveen brings intimate knowledge of BK’s business and culture along with fresh, innovative outsider perspectives.”

Madan said, “One of the reasons why I am accepting this challenge is the urgent necessity to reimagine the relationship between book publishers and bookstores. I would also love to see more publishers, bookstores, and authors adopt the human-first approach that Berrett-Koehler has pioneered. Our collective future is at stake.”

As previously reported, Caroline Sutton has joined as vp and editorial director. She was previously editor-in-chief at Avery.

Greg Mollica has been promoted to vp, executive art director, Random House and One World.

Donna Cheng has been promoted to art director, Dial and Hogarth.

Joe Perez has been promoted to vp, executive art director Christian Publishing and Harmony & Rodale.

Regina Flath has been promoted to senior art director, Del Rey.

Rachel Ake has been promoted to associate art director, Modern Library.

Jenny Davis has been named creative director and will lead the newly created illustrated design team for the Random House Publishing Group, reporting to svp, creative director Paolo Pepe.

Lynne Yeamans, formerly oat Harper Design, has been named art director.

As part of the newly established illustrated design team, Sonia Persad is named associate art director for the WaterBrook & Multnomah Children’s publishing program and Bones Leopard is senior designer for Inklore.

Allison Lyons has been promoted to senior editor, Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

Stephanie Doig has been promoted to senior editor, Carina Press.

Carol Seigler has been promoted to assistant editor.

Thomas Bedenbaugh has been promoted to assistant editor.

Mike Heuer has joined as national sales manager – independent bookstores, heading the indie sales force and maintaining his own region of direct accounts. He was previously executive director, national field sales force, independent bookstores at Hachette Book Group.

Erick Black has been promoted to director of production.

Ben Coy has been promoted to production manager.

Raj Mavi has been promoted to senior staff accountant.

Emily Solomon has been promoted to editorial associate.

Xavier Dusseau has joined as a metadata specialist for video operations.

Lauren Smetzer has moved positions from operations specialist to marketing specialist.

Brianna Zimmerman has joined as literary scout.

Dorian Randall has been promoted to senior literary scout.