Kirkus CEO and publisher Meg LaBorde Kuehn is leaving the company after 14 years.
Kuehn began working for Kirkus, which publishes Kirkus Reviews magazine, in 2011 as its vice president of business development and was named COO the following year. In 2015, she became CEO of the company, and she was appointed publisher in 2023.
In her time at Kirkus, Kuehn modernized the company’s business model, which resulted in a 400% growth in revenue, and grew the magazine’s full-time staff by 266%. She developed and implemented the Kirkus Prize, first awarded in 2014; the prize is one of the richest literary awards in the U.S. Kuehn also oversaw the strategy, execution, and art direction of two redesigns to the Kirkus website as well as its 2023 print magazine redesign.
Herb Simon, co-chairman of Kirkus, said in a statement, “After years of visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, our beloved CEO is stepping down, leaving behind a legacy that will inspire us for years to come.”
Kuehn said, “It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to lead this extraordinary company through change and growth. I’m most grateful for the opportunity to have worked with and encountered so many exceptional people through Kirkus. Their talent, integrity, and dedication to books and the power of reading have been a constant source of inspiration and have made this journey profoundly meaningful.”
Judy Hottensen, the former vice president and associate publisher of Grove/Atlantic, will serve as interim CEO of Kirkus when Kuehn leaves the company on July 11.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
