On June 5th of this year, Scholastic CEO Maurice Richard Robinson Jr โ a figure renowned for bringing hit literary franchises such as Harry Potter, Magic School Bus, Captain Underpants, Hunger Games, and more to young readers โ passed away in sudden and unexpected fashion. The man, who was more simply known as Richard Robinson in public and โDickโ in private, collapsed during a family vacation at Marthaโs Vineyard aged 84. But what was even more surprising than his untimely departure was his succession plan for the US$1.2 billion (AU$1.6 billion) publishing empire founded by his father, Maurice Robinson the First.
Robinson didnโt leave it to either of his adult sons, John Benham โBenโ Robinson and Maurice โReeceโ Robinson. Nor did he leave it to any of his siblings, and certainly not his ex-wives โ Katherine Woodroofe (1968-unclear), a Scholastic magazine editor; and Helen V. Benham (1986-2003), founder of the Scholastic Early Childhood Division with whom he had his children with. Instead, the keys to the kingdom, as well as all of Robinsonโs earthly possessions, will be ceded to Scholastic Chief Strategy Office, Iole Lucchese โ a veteran of the company for 30 years, described by Richard Robinson himself as his โpartner and closest friendโ, and described by just about everyone else as old Dickโs longtime romantic partner.
โWe all knew,โ an anonymous insider at Scholastic admits.
โIt was not a shock to me at all.โ
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Naturally, this development doesnโt bode well for any of Robinsonโs blood relatives and former spouses. In fact, eldest son Ben (34) has compared his fatherโs estate plans as copping โsalt in an open woundโ, while youngest child Reece finds the wholesale bequeathment to Ms Lucchese โunexpected and shockingโ (in stark contrast to the Scholastic staffers + colleagues).
โYou might think from the will that he didnโt see his sons,โ says Reece Robinson.
โThatโs not true. For the last two years, I saw him multiple times a week.โ
โWhat I want most is an amicable outcome,โ adds Ben Robinson.
Though it is worth noting that where the Robinson patriarch took pride in โearning his stripesโ at Scholastic throughout his youth, joining as an assistant magazine editor in 1962 and โworking his way upโ (letโs not pretend daddy owning the company didnโt help), Reece and Ben avoided a career at Scholastic; the former stating he saw himself as more of an adviser and didnโt want to โsacrifice [his] early 20s for a corporation.โ Which may have very well been their own undoing in this case.
In present day, Reece reportedly makes a living as a documentary filmmaker. His brother Ben, on the other hand, operates a sawmill and workshop which produces lumber, flooring, and furniture from trees in Marthaโs Vineyard. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ben lives off the land, fishing the fish, culling the deer, and cruising on pure vibes (โIโm the poet laureate who hasnโt told his story yet.โ). Interpret that how you will.
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Contrary to what the headlines may imply, however, Iole Lucchese hasnโt exactly earned this newfound fortune by salacious or scandalous means, either. Relationship with the late Richard Robinson and innuendo aside, while a successor was never formally groomed when he was alive, Lucchese has apparently been the natural successor for some time now.
Joining Scholastic Canada as an Associate Editor in Book Clubs circa 1991, she quickly gained prominence as Co-President of Scholasticโs Canada operations. Before long, she made her way up the ladder of the Scholastic US operations, earning the title of Chief Strategy Officer in 2014. Two years later, she assumed the role of sole Scholastic Canada President, and in 2018, added the duties of Scholastic Entertainment President to her day-to-day. By all accounts, the office romance โ which had apparently concluded prior to Robinsonโs death โ was secondary to her career trajectory.
Former President of Scholasticโs toy division Klutz, Stacy Lellos, reveals Iole Lucchese and Richard Robinson balanced each other out professionally, in addition to crediting the latter with supporting women leaders, and fostering a culture where employees could openly challenge him.
โIole has a point of view and she shares it,โ says Lellos.
โI admire the fact that women leadership spoke freely and candidly and it seemed to me, in the opportunities I had to be a part of those meetings, that was encouraged.โ
When Lucchese recognised missed commercial opportunities, other executives recall open expressions of frustration. Staffers have since told media that some clashes โsounded personalโ. As youโd expect, the company has officially gone on record to frame such exchanges as nothing more than โprofessional disagreements over strategy.โ
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โI remember her as a strong, intelligent woman,โ says Marianne Caponnetto, former Scholastic board member.
The Robinson family are currently reviewing their legal options in regards to the final will of Richard Robinson, with several members aiming to reach an agreement with Ms Lucchese to surrender voting shares or secure a slice of the overall estate. At this stage, itโs also unclear who is set to inherit US$70 million (AU$95 million) worth of scholastic common shares, which wonโt make its way to the Lucchese portfolio. Meaning regardless of who gets the mouthwatering pie, there are still considerable crumbs to be feasted upon.
You can read a more detailed examination of the unfolding drama at The Wall Street Journal.
