Tina Pohlman, currently v-p and publisher for trade paperbacks at Crown Publishing, will join Open Road Integrated Media March 5 as publisher. In that role, Pohlman will oversee all of Open Road’s editorial team including Betsy Mitchell and Nita Taublib, recently hired “specialists” managing Open Road’s move into the science fiction and romance markets, respectively. Pohlman will also be in charge of Open Road’s backlist program, and E-riginals that is being led by Marjorie Braman. She will also manage Open Road’s relationship with Otto Penzler as well as other partnerships. “It’s a big job,” said Open Road founder Jane Friedman, noting that the role has been expanded since Brendan Cahill left the company. Pohlman will report to Friedman.
Open Road now has 28 fulltime employees, 10 film crews and a growing number of freelance and parttime staff. Friedman said she doesn’t expect to bring on any new members to her executive team soon, but is still looking for new people in marketing. She said business in December was “tremendous” while sales in January and February posted “dramatic increases” over a year ago. “I’m very bullish,” she said about prospects for the year.
