Home Accents Today parent company Reed Business Information has hired Penny Schneck for the new position of electronic sales manager for publications in its Home Furnishings Division. She reports to Kevin Castellani, vice president and publishing director.

Schneck will work with the staffs of Home Accents Today, Kids Today, Furniture/Today, Casual Living, Playthings, Home Textiles Today and Gifts & Decorative Accessories. She also will consult with advertising customers.

She will help clients customize their advertising strategies to include tactics such as Webinars, e-advertising, interactive media and Web site development, and will keep them posted on trends in e-commerce.

Schneck has spent more than 20 years in marketing consulting, including five years of Web-specific consulting. She was most recently vice president of Bay Cities Research in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and earlier was managing director at ad agency J. Walter Thompson, where she was responsible for business development and advertising sales.

She has a master's degree in electronic commerce at the University of Maryland.

“Moving forward, our objective is to continue to enhance our print products as well as our electronic initiatives,” Castellani said. “We are thrilled to have someone with Penny's outstanding credentials join us to help us move the many e-initiatives we have planned.”