McClelland & Stewart president and publisher Doug Pepper announced major changes to the company’s organizational structure today as part of an attempt to focus its publishing program (and presumably cut costs). The most unfortunate bit of news is that industry veteran Dinah Forbes, who had been with the company for more than 20 years, most recently as executive editor, has been laid off, along with two other staffers, editorial assistant Aruna Dahanayake and office manager Barbara Phillips.

Meanwhile, publisher Ellen Seligman is retaining her title while also being given the added title of executive vice-president. According to Pepper, she will now “play a central role in helping [him] run the company and in creating [a] publishing strategy with a consolidated editorial team.”

Furthermore, executive editor Lara Hinchberger will add non-fiction acquisitions to her current duties (she had primarily been acquiring fiction prior to now); and senior editor Anita Chong will oversee the company’s paperback imprint, Emblem Books. Managing editor Elizabeth Kribs and editor Jenny Bradshaw will continue on in their current capacities.

Look for further updates from Q&Q soon.