William Loverd, who has been associated with Random House and Knopf for 37 years, and is currently senior v-p of Knopf publicity and v-p of corporate affairs, will retire March 15. Hired by Bennett Cerf, Loverd has served under Bob Bernstein, Alberto Vitale and Peter Olson. As Knopf publicity director, Loverd first worked with the Knopfs and, most recently, with Knopf Group president Sonny Mehta. Loverd told PW he has "been blessed many times over with my association with these people and with my association with Knopf's countless marvelous authors."