Ben Loehnen Promoted to V-p, Copublisher of Avid Reader

Ben Loehnen has been promoted to v-p and copublisher of Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Loehnen and Jofie Ferrari-Adler launched Avid Reader in 2018, with the former serving as v-p and editor-in-chief and the latter serving as v-p and publisher. Prior to Avid, he worked at the Simon & Schuster for eight years, departing as executive editor, and also held positions as harperCollins and Random House. 

"Back in 2018, when Ben and I hatched our plans for the launch of Avid Reader, we lobbied to be co-publishers," wrote Ferrari-Adler in an email announcing Loehnan's promotion. "That did not happen, and for the last five years, Ben has served happily and brilliantly as our editor-in-chief.... The two of us have been co-publishers, if not in title then in spirit, since our start. And that arrangement has worked beautifully. But it has always bothered me."

"Ben asked me to make clear that he did not ask for this promotion," Ferrari-Adler continued. "Indeed, when I walked into his office a few weeks ago and told him what I wanted to do, he got a little flustered, insisting that the status quo worked just fine for him, our colleagues, and, most important to him, the writers we publish. It was a charming moment that says it all about his character. But in the end, I reminded him who’s boss, and so here’s one decision he doesn’t get to make."