Mark Henry Gates, 57, died last Friday of lung cancer. A longtime Midwest sales rep for Farrar, Straus and Holt, Gates was PW’s “rep of the year” in 2006. A CarePages notice says that “with tongue-in-cheek, he referred to himself as ‘the Willy Loman of the book trade’ and claimed more benefit and conviviality in taking a client to lunch than in filling out a sales report.” In the PW piece from 2006, FSG sales director Spenser Lee said: “Mark is an avid reader, champion of the smaller books, master storyteller and great advocate for his accounts and publishers. But […]
Personnel
People
Literary and publishing blogger and literary event impresario Ron Hogan will join Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s trade & reference division as director of e-marketing strategy, succeeding Sanj Kharbanda, who has moved to the division’s digital strategy group. He reports to svp, director of marketing Bridget Marmion, starting January 4. Former longtime Lowe’s executive David Shelton, 62, has joined the board of directors at Borders.
Remembering Bookseller Joel Turner
Bookseller and former ABA officer and board member Joel Turner, 58, died this past weekend. He cofounded Under Cover Books in Shaker Heights, OH in 1978 with his siblings Philip and Pamela Turner. In the 90s he turned the focus to serving served businesses, corporate libraries, schools, and public institutions as Undercover Book Service and developed a sideline in antiquarian and used books. Philip and Pamela write: “Plans for memorializing Joel are being considered. For those wishing to mark Joel’s life with a charitable donation we urge you to make contributions to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression or […]
People: Fensterman Promoted Up and Away from BEA; Downer Fired; Raven Awards for Filman and Mystery Lovers Bookshop; and Much More
BEA show manager Lance Fensterman has done such a good job with Reed’s fast-growing comics and pop culture shows that he has been promoted to group vice president and will focus exclusively on the company’s pop culture business. With no replacement for BEA in place yet, Fensterman “will remain on BEA through the transition.” Fensterman’s boss–and one-time BEA show manager herself–Courtney Muller has also been promoted, now a senior vice president. Muller’s portfolio of shows continues to include oversight of BEA.Release After yesterday’s announcement from Random House in the US, a separate announcement noted that Kristin Cochrane will move up […]
Cochrane Moves Up at Doubleday Canada
As Maya Mavjee moves to run the Crown group in the US, Kristin Cochrane will become publisher of the Doubleday Canada group, reporting to ceo Brad Martin, as of January 1. He writes: “Kristin has been with Doubleday Canada for just four years, but in that time, and particularly since assuming the position of Deputy Publisher one year ago, she has been directly and vigorously involved in all aspects of the Doubleday Canada publishing program. Her strategic approach and publishing instincts have had a clear and tangible impact on Doubleday Canada and its success.”
People
Dedi Felman will join Times Books as a senior editor as of January 4, acquiring books on current events, politics, science, and economics. She had worked most recently at Simon & Schuster. Crain’s named Hachette Book Group one of the 40 best places to work in 2009, at No. 24 “the happiest book publisher.” They report that HBG will once again give all employees a year-end bonus, as they did last year as well. Crain’s says that 16 percent of the staff was promoted this year, and they claim that the “average salary” is $114,164.Crains