Sharon Benton retires after 35 years with The Booksellers Association

Sharon Benton, marketing and groups manager at The Booksellers Association (BA), is retiring this month after 35 years with the organisation.

Benton’s last day will be on 20th December, with Katie Connor, BA group administrator, stepping up to the role of marketing and groups manager. Connor will report to head of campaigns, Emma Bradshaw, and head of membership development, Kate Gunning.

The BA said: “During her tenure, Sharon played a key role in many of The Booksellers Association’s most successful Books Are My Bag campaigns, such as the Indie Book Awards and Indie Book of the Month. She has also worked for many years on the BA’s longstanding Christmas Books catalogue and helped launch Summer Books in 2021.  

“Sharon was also involved at the inception of World Book Day and has also been a key part of the team producing the BA’s Annual Report and helped run the Academic, Children’s, Christian and School Supplier bookseller groups." 

Meryl Halls, managing director of the BA, said: “We will miss Sharon very much – after such a long tenure, and active involvement in so many member-facing projects, she’s been a key part of the team for years, and is also well-known to many members, who I know will join me in wishing Sharon the very best in her early retirement and her new life in Wales."

Benton said: “I have been at the BA for 35 years and will miss my regular contact with booksellers and bookshops. I moved to mid-Wales from Kent in July and am looking forward to exploring more of my new area. I still hope to be involved in books and the book trade in some way in the future.

“You may well see me popping into your shop as I plan a bookshop tour of the country at some point.”

Connor added: “Having thoroughly enjoyed working for the BA thus far, I am very much looking forward to this next step in my career here. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with the team, as well as take on some new and exciting challenges.”

Connor can be contacted on katie.connor@booksellers.org.uk. Benton can be contacted on: smbenton7@gmail.com.