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| Susan Bolotin | |
After nearly 22 years as head of the Workman imprint at Workman Publishing, Susan Bolotin has retired. During her time at Workman, she oversaw the adult, children's and, with Janet Harris, the calendar publishing programs for the Workman imprint. She is succeeded by Stacy Lellos, publisher of Workman Children's Publishing and Algonquin Young Readers; Lia Ronnen, publisher and editorial director of Workman's adult publishing program and Artisan; and Page Edmunds, publisher of Workman Calendars.
Bolotin began her career at Random House, writing the first-ever catalog for the entire Vintage Books list and holding various sales and editorial positions. She then moved to Simon & Schuster to be editor-in-chief of Touchstone Books. She then worked in journalism for 20 years, including stints as an editor at the New York Times Book Review and a contributor to the daily and Sunday papers. She later held a variety of editorial and management positions at Self, Vogue, 7 Days, LIFE, Good Housekeeping and more.
In 2000, Peter Workman recruited Bolotin to be Workman's editorial director, saying he was looking for a book editor with magazine experience, since he thought a book's cover should have "newsstand" appeal and its insides as many entry points as a well-designed magazine page. She was promoted to acting publisher and then publisher not long after Peter Workman's death in 2013, holding the titles of editorial director and publisher until her retirement.
The company said, "With her hand in all of Workman's businesses, Bolotin acquired, edited, published, and championed many of Workman's bestselling books and iconic brands. Overseeing editorial, design, photography, publicity, and marketing, she was instrumental in building the creative teams that have made the company what it is today, helping to grow the adult, children's, and calendar businesses to a place where they will now be separated into three imprints."
Bolotin commented: "Being able to do what you love for fifty years is an incredible gift. And getting to spend more than twenty of those years with the innovators at Workman is a treasure almost beyond belief. I am filled with gratitude toward the Workman family, Dan Reynolds, my incredible colleagues, and all the authors and artists whose work I've been given the honor of celebrating."
Senior v-p and Workman Publishing publisher Dan Reynolds added, "Over the last eight years, I'd often get to the office early and start my day with Suzie, discussing ideas touching on a wide range of subjects, while also struggling with the world at large. The intelligence and humanity she brought to all the conversations, layered on top of a good cup of coffee, primed me for the day ahead. Suzie is singular in so many ways, but it is her work ethic paired with a passion for quality that most defines her. Workman's success is inextricably linked to all that Suzie brought to her job, and we will forever be grateful."