Joel Scotkin has joined Open Road in the new role of chief technology officer, reporting to ceo Jane Friedman. Scotkin was previously ceo and founder of the technology consulting firm Random Walk and later ceo and lead investor in Masten Space Systems, a start-up focused on reusable space travel. Michelle Richter is joining Foreword Literary as an associate agent. She has been an editor at St. Martin’s. She is planning to represent a broad selection of fiction, and nonfiction focused on fashion, film, television, science, medicine, sociology/social trends, and economics for trade audiences. Jana Burson has launched The Burson Agency, […]
Personnel
People: On Marquez, 87, and More
Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 87, died at home in Mexico City on Thursday, following complications from pneumonia. Among the many appreciations of his work and life are these from Michiko Kakutani and Hector Tobar. Hillary Clinton‘s June 10 memoir has a title — HARD CHOICES and a final jacket: “All of us face hard choices in our lives,” she writes. “Life is about making such choices. Our choices and how we handle them shape the people we become.” Author Jesmyn Ward will join the faculty of Tulane University on July 1 as the first to hold the Paul and Debra Gibbons […]
People, Etc.
Allison Renzulli has joined Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the new position of culinary digital editorial director. She will be working from the New York office with the culinary marketing, editorial, and digital teams to oversee multiple digital initiatives. She was formerly senior marketing manager at Clarkson Potter. Elyse Turr has been named sales and marketing manager at Shire Publications and Old House Books, part of the Osprey Group. She was formerly an assistant marketing manager at Oxford University Press. Mike Salisbury has joined Yates & Yates as associate literary agent. Most recently he was marketing director of trade books at […]
People: Boudreaux Gets Imprint At Little, Brown
Ecco editorial director Lee Boudreaux will move to Little, Brown as of September 2, where she will be editorial director of an eponymous imprint, aiming to publish 8 to 10 titles a year. Publisher Reagan Arthur says in the announcement: “Lee is one of the most respected editors in the business, widely admired not just for her adventurous and discerning eye but also for her sharp editorial skills. I’ve long wanted to work with her, and I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome her to Little, Brown, where I know she and her new list will be an exciting part of our […]
Corporate: A Wiley Acquisition; and Job Cuts At RH Children’s UK and Weltbild
Wiley announced another sizable acquisition, agreeing to pay $175 million in cash to purchase French-based learning solutions provider CrossKnowledge, which focuses on leadership and managerial skills development. The deal is expected to close on May 1. Wiley has been investing heavily in their professional development division, and acquired a related firm, Profiles International, less than two weeks ago. CEO Steve Smith says the two purchases, along with Inscape (which they bought in 2012 for $85 million), “positions us as a leader in the rapidly-growing area of enterprise talent management. In today’s knowledge-based economy, organizations of all different shapes and sizes […]
People
Simon & Schuster vp, director of children’s sales Mary Marotta will move over on May 5 to become deputy publisher for Aladdin, Little Simon, Simon Pulse and Simon Spotlight, reporting to division president Jon Anderson. Marotta fills the role vacated by Mara Anastas when she moved up to publisher of Aladdin and Simon Pulse. Anderson notes, “Her sales skills coupled with her business acumen are exactly what are needed to take Little Simon, Simon Spotlight, Aladdin and Simon Pulse to the next level in their growth and development.” Jodi Rosoff has joined Grand Central as publicity & marketing director for […]