Betsy Groban, senior v-p and publisher of children's books at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, has left the company. Groban is a veteran children's executive and had been at HMH for a decade; she's headed the children’s division since 2008. HMH said it has not yet found her replacement.
Ellen Archer, who succeeded Gary Gentel as president of HMH trade in December 2015, said in a brief statement that she wanted to thank Groban for "her leadership of HMH Books for Young Readers and her many contributions to our business." She added: "HMH is committed to the young readers space, and we look forward to continuing our long history of bringing stories and adventures to children and young adults everywhere."
In a statement provided to PW, Groban said: "I had a glorious time at HMH. The authors and illustrators, as well as my colleagues, set a gold standard in this golden age of publishing for children. Thanks to the hard and creative work of so many wonderful people, HMH Books for Young Readers experienced both year-over-year growth and critical acclaim beyond our wildest dreams during my tenure. It was truly the best of times and I am grateful to have been at the helm. And now I look forward to a new beginning."
A spokesperson for HMH said a search for Groban's replacement is "currently underway."
