Dear Colleagues,

Today marks the anniversary of the passing of Carolyn Reidy, and I wanted to commemorate the occasion by expressing once again my gratitude for all Carolyn has done for Simon & Schuster, and for so many of us. Rarely does a day go by that I don’t think of Carolyn and the standard of excellence that she set. She was an extraordinary leader, a stalwart champion of our books, an astute businessperson, and a teacher whose ideas and passions will live on in many of us for the rest of our careers.

I know that she would be happy with how we have persevered and thrived over the past year. Our success is due in part to the great team she put in place and the ethos that she fostered throughout the company. I hope that today you will join me in carrying on her legacy by doing as she did every day: bringing that little bit of extra when sharing your enthusiasm for our books with your colleagues and others in our industry; constantly thinking about the ways in which we can improve what we do; being kind and helpful to your co-workers; and if you have a good idea, an issue, or a problem, speaking up!

Our support of the Carolyn Kroll Reidy scholarships at the publishing programs of NYU, Pace University, the University of Denver, and Columbia University continues, as does our commitment to realizing Carolyn’s vision of a more representative and inclusive work culture.

I am also pleased to let you know that this year, Simon & Schuster’s annual contribution to BINC (Book Industry Charitable Foundation) is being made in Carolyn’s honor. Carolyn was an early supporter of BINC and its mission, so it is fitting that we designate this donation in her name, as described in the attached press release from BINC.

In fond remembrance,

Jonathan