Clarke Gets More Duties at RD

by Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 1/24/2005

Harold Clarke's domain continues to expand at Reader's Digest. Following a promotion last fall to head of all RD's trade publishing units, Clarke has been named president and publisher of the RD Books and Music division. The new group includes not only the company's retail book units, but, with the exception of Select Editions, its direct-mail book operations plus all of RD's music businesses. RD spokesperson William Adler said the promotion reflects "the leveraging of existing resources" at the company, and added that no jobs have been eliminated.

Accompanying the broadening of Clarke's responsibilities, RD has named Neil Wertheimer to the new role of editor-in-chief of books for the North American Publishing group, a position that puts him in charge of both trade and direct mail book operations. He had overseen only RD's health and home division book units, which are mainly sold via direct mail. Clarke and Wertheimer report to Eric Schrier, president of RD North America and global editor-in-chief.