BIGNY "Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave" Event -- A Brief Report

From left to right:
Panel moderator Karen Romano, Linda Palladino,
Janet McCarthy Grimm, Barbara Marcus

A panel of executives from the book publishing and paper manufacturing industries related their career experiences during tonight’s Book Industry Guild of NewYork’s (BIGNY) “Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave” event. The panel discussed their professional experiences as they ascended into senior positions during a change in the business world that welcomed more women.

Thomson-Shore Director of Business Development Karen Romano moderated the discussion, held at Random House’s midtown New York office. The panel trio included Barbara Marcus, President and Publisher, Random House Children’s Books; Janet McCarthy Grimm, Vice President, Lindenmeyr Paper; and Linda Palladino, Vice President and Director of Production, Random House Children’s Production.

Each panelist took a unique path to achieve career success. Grimm’s initial years as a sales representative found her advancing into increasingly responsible positions despite being in a largely “old school” male industry. Marcus embraced a number of editorial challenges that demonstrated her high-level skills, business commitment, and strategic insight. Palladino shifted from law school to publishing and never looked back.

The panelists unanimously suggested that women new to the publishing or paper/printing industries find in-house mentors. Their experienced guidance is invaluable to grasping the essential knowledge of their business. It’s also extremely difficult to find equally rich sources of advice outside of their respective industries.. They also underlined the value of mentorship, and noted that those receiving it should “give back” to the “following wave” that will enter publishing, paper manufacturing, and printing.

The three executive women also strongly encouraged the “following wave” to take chances during their careers. Some of the panelists’ most exciting opportunities evolved from their conviction that risk-taking and self-belief were vital to their career advancement and job satisfaction. Barbara Marcus emphasized that point during a discussion of her reasoning for embracing her current role at Random House Children’s Books.

BIGNY "Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave" event: More About Linda Palladino

Linda Palladino

Here's a brief professional biography of Linda Palladino, one of the three panelists who will join the Book Industry Guild of New York's (BIGNY) April 12, 2016 panel discussion "Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave."

Linda Palladino has spent her career working in production for the children’s books divisions of several New York publishers.  She began at Scholastic Inc., where she was Production Manager for its five children’s magazines, book clubs and their then newly-formed trade book division. She went on to work at two start-ups, Warner Juvenile Books and North-South Books, where she developed the infrastructure and built full service production departments. During her tenure at William Morrow she led the children’s Production Department, creating internal and external digital workflow systems to streamline all aspects of production, resulting in cost savings, greater quality control and more efficient delivery.  Prior to joining Random House she was Director of Corporate Purchasing for Holtzbrinck Publisher where she was responsible for Corporate Purchasing for five companies which now comprise Macmillan Publishing.

In 2003 she became director of Production for Random House Children’s Books, the world’s largest children’s trade publisher, and was promoted to V.P., Director of Production in 2008. Linda and her team are responsible for producing books for the division’s line of premier authors, illustrators, brands and licensed characters. She works closely with her department to position Random House Children’s Books as a company that sets the standard in innovative, environmental and sound business practices. 

Linda is past President of the Bookbinders’ Guild of New York, now known as the Book Industry Guild of New York (BIGNY). Linda has participated in and served on various industry educational seminars and committees including Women in Production, which awarded her the Luminaire Award. She currently serves on the Goddard Riverside NY Publishing Executive Committee.

BIGNY "Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave": More About Barbara Marcus

Barbara Marcus

Here's a brief professional biography of Barbara Marcus, one of the three panelists who will join the Book Industry Guild of New York's (BIGNY) April 12, 2016 panel discussion "Groundbreaking Women: The Second Wave."

Barbara Marcus is President and Publisher of Random House Children’s Books, where she is responsible for overseeing all of its publishing and business activities.  Random House Children’s Books publishes many of the world’s bestselling and most highly acclaimed authors and illustrators for young people today, including Dr. Seuss, Carl Hiaasen, Christopher Paolini, Sophie Kinsella, Philip Pullman, Leo Lionni, James Dashner, Brandon Sanderson, Louis Sachar, Richard Scarry, and Markus Zusak, and is home to many of the most recognizable series licenses and characters in the world, such as Barbie, the Berenstain Bears, Disney, Little Golden Books, Nickelodeon, Pat theBunny, Junie B. Jones, and Magic Tree House.

Prior to joining Random House in 2012, Marcus was Advisor to Open Road Integrated Media in the area of children’s digital publishing and general strategy.  She also served as Strategic Innovations Advisor to Penguin Books USA, focusing on new ventures and publishing opportunities. 

Before that, Ms. Marcus served as President, Scholastic Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution, where she was responsible for all children’s consumer book publishing and distribution in the United States, through school-based book clubs, school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs, school-based book fairs and the retail channel for over 20 years.  During her tenure, she led the expansion of the business from approximately 50 million dollars to over 1 billion dollars in annual revenue.  After acquiring J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for publication in the United States in 1998, she also led the publishing effort for six of the seven Harry Potter titles.