Kristin Meenagh has joined Ryland Peters and Small as publicity associate. She was previously with Raab Associates. Jean Merrill, author of more than 30 novels for children that dealt with themes of underdogs beating the odds, died August 2 at her home in Randolph, VT. She was 89 and the cause of death was cancer. Merrill’s work included THE PUSHCART WAR (1964), THE TOOTHPASTE MILLIONAIRE (1974), and THE GIRL WHO LOVED CATERPILLARS (1992). NYT Obit Sami Rohr, 86, the philanthropist honored by an annual prize for Jewish Literature that bears his name (endowed by his children), died last Sunday in […]
Personnel
People: Random UK Creates Division for Licensing and More
Random House UK has created a division, Random House Enterprises, to pursue “multi-platform business opportunities across TV, licensing and merchandising, gaming and live events.” Former vp of international consumer products at Discovery Communications Jo Edwards has been hired as head of licensing. She will report to group commerical director Nigel Waters. Publicity director at Jonathan Cape and Bodley Head Chloe Johnson-Hill moves over to RHE as manager for events. Humorist/essayist David Rakoff, 47, died Thursday night in Manhattan after a three-year battle with cancer. A frequent contributor to This American Life, Rakoff authored the essay collections FRAUD (2001) DON’T GET […]
People
Ryan Doherty will move over to Spiegel & Grau as senior editor. He is currently an editor for Ballantine and Random House Trade Paperbacks, and will continue to oversee film tie-in projects for all of Random House Publishing Group. At Berkley, Leis Pederson has been promoted to editor. Lisa Grubka will join Fletcher & Company as an agent on August 19. She has been an agent at Foundry Literary + Media for the past four years. At becker&mayer!, Michael del Rosario has been promoted to managing editor, for the book division. In another for the annals of outrageous self-promotion (a […]
People, Etc.
Melanie Cecka will join Knopf Children’s on August 20 as associate publishing director, reporting to Nancy Hinkel. Most recently she was publishing director at Bloomsbury Children’s, and she began her career at Random House, first as an editorial assistant at Villard Books before moving into children’s books. Random House svp, director, international sales and marketing Cyrus Kheradi will take on the additional duties of director for East Asia business development. He will focus on greater China and the English-speaking markets of Southeast Asia to “identify opportunities for corporate investment, print and digital publishing and licensing agreements, and brand extensions.” Sonya […]
People
Oxford University Press announced a number of recent promotions. Bill Haydis has been promoted to Head of US stock planning and publications, while Chris Critelli moves up to reprints and manufacturing supplier manager. Jen Abrams has been appointed demand planning team leader, while Tracy Rabon moves up to US publications team leader. Barry Koen and Nissa Papillon have been promoted to demand planner, while Nancy Wu moves up to stock planning project manager. Marie Kent joins Free Press today as imprint marketing manager, reporting to Nicole Judge. She was in the school and library marketing department at Penguin Children’s. At […]
People, Etc.
Vp, book production for HarperCollins John Vitale is leaving the company on August 24 after more than 44 years in the business (he began at Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., which was acquired by Harper & Row in 1977.) Replacing him is Tracey Menzies, who is being promoted to vp, production and creative operations and will oversee all print production for the publisher. Also at Harper, Kristine Macrides returns to the sales department as director of sales and retail marketing, overseeing day-to-day operations for the mass merch, club and ID sales channels (she has been director of marketing for Avon). Lillie […]