Lerner Publishing Group Hires Fran Greenman-Schmitz as New Kar-Ben® Publisher
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.— Fran Greenman-Schmitz has been named as the new publisher of Kar-Ben® Publishing, one of the world’s largest publishers of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books and an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. Fran Greenman-Schmitz will take over the helm of Kar-Ben on July 1, 2024, with the retirement of current Publisher Joni Sussman and as Kar-Ben celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Greenman-Schmitz joins Lerner with more than 20 years of experience developing and producing award-winning content including children’s fiction and nonfiction book series, catalogs, and magazines. She has worked with many of the world’s leading brands such as Highlights for Children, Mattel/American Girl, Procter & Gamble, Kraft Foods, United Airlines, Allstate, NASA, and Hallmark.
As publisher of Kar-Ben, Greenman-Schmitz will manage the publishing program for Jewish interest books for toddlers through middle grade readers. With this key hire, Lerner will enhance the Kar-Ben imprint by strengthening and building upon an already successful publishing program that includes highly reviewed and award-winning books that celebrate Jewish heritage and culture.
“With her extensive brand management and content development expertise, Fran brings to us a proven track record and will continue to build Kar-Ben’s strong publishing program,” explained Adam Lerner, President and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group. “Fran is dedicated to Kar-Ben’s mission of providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives that celebrate Jewish heritage and culture, and we are excited for her to continue grow Kar-Ben’s 50-year legacy of award-winning books.”
About Kar-Ben Publishing
Kar-Ben Publishing®, founded in 1974, is an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With more than 400 titles in print, Kar-Ben is the largest publisher of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books in the world, publishing 20-24 new, high quality children’s titles each year. For more information, visit karben.com.
About Lerner Publishing Group™
Lerner Publishing Group creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers with fifteen imprints and divisions: Carolrhoda Books®, Carolrhoda Lab®, Darby Creek™, ediciones Lerner, First Avenue Editions™, Gecko Press™, Graphic Universe™, Kar-Ben Publishing®, Lerner Publications, LernerClassroom™, Lerner Digital™, Millbrook Press™, Twenty-First Century Books™, Zest Books™, and Lerner Publisher Services™.
Find Lerner on all social media platforms at @LernerBooks.
Follow Kar-Ben on Facebook and Instagram at @kar_benpublishing.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Director, Lerner Publishing Group
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com