Susan Weinberg to lead Workman Publishing Division

Perseus Books imprints realigned under existing leadership

New York, November 29, 2022

Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch announced today that Susan Weinberg, Executive Vice President and Publisher of Perseus Books, has been named Executive Vice President and Publisher of the Workman Publishing group, succeeding Dan Reynolds, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Susan Weinberg joined Hachette Book Group in 2016 with HBG’s acquisition of the Perseus Books Group, where she had been publisher of PublicAffairs since 2005 and then Group Publisher. In the years she has overseen the Perseus division’s five imprint groups, Avalon Travel, Basic Books, Hachette Books, PublicAffairs, and Running Press, they have achieved impressive growth and profitability. She oversaw Perseus’s transition as part of HBG and has worked with each publisher on leveraging HBG’s sales, marketing, and operational strengths on behalf of the imprint’s unique approach to publishing. She will bring these experiences to bear in her new role leading Workman’s imprints. Reporting to Susan will be Stacy Lellos, VP and Publisher of Workman Kids and Algonquin Young Readers, Lia Ronnen, VP and Publisher of Workman Adult and Artisan, Page Edmunds, VP and Publisher of Workman Calendars, Betsy Gleick, VP and Publisher of Algonquin Books, Deborah Balmuth, VP and Publisher of Storey Publishing, Kathryn Juergens, VP and Publisher of Timber Press, Rebecca Carlisle, VP of Marketing and Publicity, and David Schiller, Group Creative Director.

As part of this transition, the Perseus Books division will be reorganized. The newly created Basic Books Group, led by SVP and Publisher Lara Heimert, comprises Basic Books, Seal Press, PublicAffairs, and Bold Type Books. Lara continues as publisher of Basic and Seal Press, and Clive Priddle, VP and Publisher of PublicAffairs and Bold Type Books, will report to her. The newly created Running Press Group, led by Kristin Kiser, who is promoted to SVP and Publisher, comprises Avalon Travel, Black Dog & Leventhal, Running Press, Running Press Minis, Running Press Studio, and Running Press Kids. Kristin remains publisher of Running Press and Black Dog & Leventhal, and Bill Newlin, VP and Publisher of Avalon Travel, will report to her. Lara, Kristin, and Mary Ann Naples, VP and Publisher of Hachette Books, will report to Michael Pietsch and will join HBG’s Executive Management Board. These changes will be effective January 1, 2023.

Michael Pietsch said, “I’m thrilled that Susan Weinberg has enthusiastically agreed to step into this important role. Susan is known for her energy, tenacity, and perspicacity, her exceptionally empathetic leadership, and her strategic approach to our business. She has played a central role as HBG’s publishing lead in the integration of Workman into HBG’s systems, making her familiar to Workman colleagues. Susan admires Workman’s books, traditions, and publishing teams enormously and is eager to work with their brilliantly creative publishers. I know she will help the Workman publishing programs take deep root and grow ever stronger as part of HBG.

“This leadership change also provides exciting room for growth and expansion for the Perseus publishers and their teams. I’m looking forward to working directly with Lara, Kristin, and Mary Ann and delighted to have them join HBG’s Executive Management Board.”

Susan Weinberg added, “The spirit of independent publishing at Workman is wonderfully familiar to me from my years at Perseus. I’m immensely proud of the contributions of the Perseus publishers and their teams to HBG and am excited and energized as I shift my focus to Workman, to do all I can to help them grow and thrive. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in Workman’s books and series, collaborating with their amazing teams, and helping them continue their extraordinary march of inspired, unique, world-leading publishing.”

Dan Reynolds commented, “It gives me great calm and happiness to know that Susan will lead the Workman Publishing division, building upon all that we’ve achieved at Workman and continuing the wonderful tradition of Peter Workman. I’ve been struck by Susan’s leadership, passion, and empathy, as well as her deep history with backlist publishing, which is the heart and soul of Workman. I’m looking forward to working closely with Susan to ensure the smoothest possible transition to her leadership.”