Olsson's Books and Records alumna Jean R. Westcott, senior marketing and PR manager, at International Publishers Marketing, offers this remembrance of Jim Tenney, who died last Thursday in his 70s after a long illness.
Jim Tenney first owned the Saville Bookshop in Washington, D.C., and then joined forces with John Olsson, who had started a small chain of record stores, to add the book sections that eventually would make the venture into Olsson's Books and Records.
Jim was revered and feared among sales reps. He had great taste, a good eye and often served as the appointment you made first to see what was really in your list.
As a mentor, Jim helped to train buyers who are sprinkled throughout the book world today. Guy Brussat of the World Bank Infoshop; John Sherer, publisher of Basic Books; Joe Murphy, the Los Angeles rep for Norton; and many others. It took a while before Jim would invest his attention in a new hire, but once he did you knew you were a better bookseller.
Old school and irascible, Jim also was a man who enjoyed life. He had many friends, a set of sons who he delighted in and the admiration of many.
We'll miss him.