Capstone Publishing, headquartered in Mankato, Minn., announced Thursday that Ashley Andersen Zantop has been hired as group publisher and general manager of the children book publishing company’s four imprints: Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Picture Window Books, and Stone Arch Books. Andersen Zantop previously served as CEO, president, publisher, and a member of the board of directors of Palm Publishing, LLC, headquartered in Norwalk, Conn. She replaces Lori Benton who left Capstone in November to become v-p and publisher of Scholastic's trade book publishing division. Andersen Zantop has added responsibilities, however, of overseeing nonfiction titles as well as fiction releases.
Andersen Zantop, who assumed her new responsibilities March 23, will work out of Capstone’s suburban Minneapolis offices and will report to Tom Ahern, Capstone CEO. She began her career in publishing in 1989 with Plymouth Press in Vermont, serving there as an editor, graphic artist, and art director. She subsequently worked for 10 years at the Trudy Corporation, an independent children’s publishing company and online retailer that specializes in children’s “edutainment.” Trudy Corp. was acquired by Palm Publishing in September 2010.
