Series I. Group Vice President Files, 1963-1988, inclusive

Rhett Austell joined Time Inc. in 1950 and held prior roles at Time in circulation and as general manager. He was Time-Life Books (TLB) publisher from 1964 to 1969, as well as being named a corporate vice president in 1966 and serving on the boards of General Learning Corporation and New York Graphic Society. In 1968 he and vice president Charles Bear served as co-chairmen for the new executive oversight group "Books, Arts and Recordings." In 1970 Austell became executive vice president over TLB, Time-Life Broadcast, Time-Life Films, Time-Life Records, and Books and Arts Associates. By 1974 he was a group vice president (GVP), and departments added to his oversight included Home Box Office (HBO) and Sterling Manhattan Cable Television. By 1978 when Joan Manley takes over as GVP, the groups for Books and Video are separate.

Joan Manley joined TLB at its formation in 1960 and served as the TLB circulation director, then director of sales before being named the TLB publisher in 1970. She was the first woman to hold the role of publisher at Time Inc, and in 1971 became the first woman corporate vice president of Time Inc. By 1978 Manley took over as the Books Group GVP. Along with serving as GVP, she also was chairman and chief executive officer of Time-Life Books, Inc., the incorporated entity overseeing TLB and served on the board of Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc. In 1981, John McSweeney, formerly the general manager of TLB, took over as chairman with Carl Jaeger as president, but Manley returned as chairman in 1982. A memorandum from her regarding the 1982 Books Group reorganization states she would no longer be CEO of TLB, but would transition back to only GVP with Reginald Brack taking over in the president and CEO role. Manley retired in August 1984.

Reginald Brack joined Time Inc. in 1962. In the 1982 reorganization of the Books Group, he moved from his position as publisher at Discover to exchange jobs with TLB president Jaeger. Following Manley's retirement in August 1984, Brack became Books GVP along with taking over Manley's other former roles as chairman of Time-Life Books, Inc. and vice chairman of Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc. Brack was named chief executive officer (CEO) of the magazine group in December 1986.

Citations:

Prendergast, Curtis, and Geoffrey Colvin. 1986. The World of Time Inc.: The Intimate History of a Changing Enterprise, 1960-1980. New York: Atheneum. United States. 1977.

Time Inc. Reference Files, MS 3009-RG 3, New-York Historical Society.

Time Inc. Subject Files, MS 3009-RG 1, New-York Historical Society.