Carolyn Reidy, CEO Of Simon & Schuster, Passes Away At The Age Of 71

(CBSLocal)- Simon & Schuster, which is owned by ViacomCBS, announced earlier today the passing of long-time employee Carolyn Reidy, who had served as the publisher's CEO for the past 12 years. Reidy worked at Simon & Schuster for nearly 30 years and during her time oversaw the release of titles from some of literature's biggest names including Stephen King, Doris Kearn Goodwin and Bob Woodward. In 2017, Reidy was named "Person Of The Year" by Publisher Weekly who praised her leadership "through the Great Recession, publishing's digital disruption, and a slow-growth sales environment all while keeping Simon & Schuster a commercial and critical success."

ViacomCBS President and CEO Bob Bakish said in a statement earlier today, "It goes without saying that this is a huge loss for our company and the entire publishing industry. Carolyn was a passionate, beloved leader who helped authors reach readers around the world and, in doing so, played a key role in making Simon & Schuster what it is today – one of the most successful and respected consumer publishing houses in the business."

Reidy owned a Bachelor's degree from Middlebury College in Vermont as well as a Master's and Doctorate from Indiana University. Her contributions to not only Simon & Schuster, but to American literature as a whole have been wide spread and impactful throughout the course of her career. CBSLocal alongside Simon & Schuster and the entire ViacomCBS family send heartfelt thoughts and condolences to Carolyn's family and loved ones.