George Markey Keating, a longtime Simon & Schuster employee, died on June 22 from a heart condition. He was 71.
Keating worked at several bookstores during and right after graduating from college and then joined Brentano's, where he managed stores in Connecticut and New York. In 1978, he joined S&S as a sales representative, rising through the ranks over a 30-year career to become Eastern Divisional sales director. After leaving S&S, he became director of sales & marketing at the Naval Institute Press. He retired several years ago. His sons are both in the business: Brendan is sales analyst manager at HarperCollins and Owen is a package designer at Klutz.
Literary agent and publisher Roger Williams said in a tribute to Keating: "George's skills as a manager, his good humor, and steady logic, earned him the respect of his reps, his booksellers, his superiors, and the legions of authors whose careers George helped to launch. To his reps, George was a mentor, a leader and a friend. To his booksellers, George was an advocate, a partner, and a friend. To his superiors, George was a faithful lieutenant, a resolute professional, and a friend. To his authors, George was a champion, and a friend. After hours, George was a master storyteller, full of good cheer, and a friend to all. Through all the bestsellers, all the celebrities, all the famous politician authors, everyone always knew, George was most devotedly proud of his 47-year marriage to Ellen, their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren."