After nearly 22 years at the helm of Workman, the flagship imprint of Workman Publishing, editorial director and publisher Susan Bolotin has retired, effective May 1.
During her tenure at WP, Bolotin oversaw the adult, children’s, and, with Janet Harris, the calendar publishing programs for the Workman imprint. Overseeing editorial, design, photography, publicity, and marketing, she helped grow WP's adult, children’s, and calendar businesses to a place where they will now be separated into three imprints. Bolotin is succeeded by Stacy Lellos, publisher of Workman Children’s Publishing and Algonquin Young Readers; Lia Ronnen, editorial director and publisher of Workman’s adult publishing program and Artisan; and Page Edmunds, publisher of Workman Calendars. Lellos took over for Elise Howard who officially retired May 1. All three women report to Workman head Dan Reynolds.
Bolotin began her career in publishing writing the first-ever catalog for the Vintage Books list. She later held various sales and editorial positions at Random House before moving to Simon & Schuster as editor-in-chief of Touchstone Books. She then went to the New York Times, where she was an editor for the Book Review. After holding a variety of editorial and management positions at various magazines, she returned to book publishing at Workman, where, in 2000, she was recruited by Peter Workman to be editorial director. She was promoted to acting publisher and then publisher shortly after Workman's death in 2013.
“Being able to do what you love for 50 years is an incredible gift,” Bolotin said in a statement. “And getting to spend more than 20 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.”
