Penguin Random House has announced a major restructuring of its library sales and marketing team, including the news that longtime director of library sales Sharon Parker will retire at the end of the month, and another veteran, Jennifer Childs, has been promoted.

“I am one of those many who are so grateful to have worked with Sharon Parker, and I know I speak for all of us in wishing her health and happiness, and much cruise travel, as she begins this new adventure,” said PRH senior v-p Skip Dye in announcing the moves this week.

Parker became director of the Random House library sales team in 2012, after successful stints with Recorded Books, and Books on Tape. Dye credited Parker with helping to successfully retool the PRH library team for the digital market over the last decade.

“Sharon’s long-standing relationships with librarians have been a key contribution to PRH’s success,” Dye said. “Throughout her tenure, those who have worked for and with her have admired her strong work ethic, her pragmatic leadership, her devotion to her team, and her motivating passion for our books and our authors.”

Parker will retire effective April 30, 2021.

Unification

Parker’s retirement comes with the announcement of a "major" restructuring at PRH that will see the house’s Library Sales Group and Adult Library Marketing groups united, with PRH veteran Jennifer Childs at the helm.

“I am very pleased to announce Jennifer Childs, previously vice president, director, Library Marketing, is promoted to vice president, director, Library Marketing and Digital Library Sales Group, Penguin Random House, effectively May 3, continuing to report directly to me,” Dye announced in a memo on April 22.

Childs is well known and highly respected within the library community for her creativity and efforts to bring PRH authors to libraries, having joined the Random House marketing team in 2001.

Dye said the restructuring is part of a plan to “amplify and maximize” the library marketing and sales teams’ complementary strengths, and to support “the forward momentum of the ever-changing library marketplace.”

The newly unified unit will be renamed the Penguin Random House Library Marketing and Digital Library Sales Group. “By centralizing these marketing and sales efforts under one umbrella, Penguin Random House will have more opportunities to introduce, sell, and market our books to libraries,” Dye wrote.

Among other personnel moves associated with the restructuring:

Brian Nielsen has been promoted to senior sales manager, where he will continue his work with Baker & Taylor’s Axis360, ESBCO, Bibliotheca, and other digital wholesalers, reporting to Childs.

Dana Reeder, has been named sales manager, reporting to Nielsen. She be responsible for PRH and PRHPS kids’ sales to Bibliotheca, as well as work on special digital initiatives, and physical audio sales to Midwest Tapes and Blackstone.

Hugo Breeson has been promoted to senior sales manager, reporting Childs. Breeson will handle OverDrive, Hoopla, and other key digital accounts, as well as taking on new digital sales-related projects.

Katie Kipe has been named sales manager, reporting to Breeson. She handle PRHPS Client titles for OverDrive and other key digital aggregators. Amanda Fensch has also been named sales manager, reporting to Breeson. She will continue to work with Findaway, Mackin, Curriculet, LightSail, and selling PRH kids’ titles to OverDrive and Hoopla.

Erica Melnichok has been appointed Knopf Doubleday Group senior library marketing manager, reporting to Elizabeth Fabian, director of library marketing. Among her duties, Melnichok will continue to work on library author events. Maureen Meekins will continue her role in marketing the Penguin Group’s Orange collection, now reporting to Fabian.

Among new additions, Liz Camfiord has joined the library marketing team, assuming the role of Library Marketing Manager, reporting to Elizabeth Fabian, where she will handle library marketing for the Penguin Publishing Group. And Sharnell Johnson will also join as marketing manager, reporting to Kelly Coyle-Crivelli associate director of library marketing, where she will focus on PRHPS client-publisher programs.

In his memo announcing the restructuring, Dye stressed that the new organization will help PRH better serve libraries, and signaled the company's commitment to serving libraries.

“It is almost unnecessary to say that the library marketplace is and always will be a vital and essential area of growth and expansion for Penguin Random House,” Dye said, adding that PRH leadership was “unwavering” in its support and advocacy for public and school libraries.

“Librarians are influencers whose enthusiastic support of our authors and their books across physical, digital, and audio formats have been bolstered by our respective Penguin Random House adult library marketing team and digital sales team,” Dye wrote. “I feel that with this coming together of the Library Sales and Marketing groups, this is a time for us to forge even more mutually advantageous and enjoyable relationships with our libraries and librarians nationwide. I know we will be doing much terrific work together on behalf of their patrons."