Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Cathleen P. Black Is New Schools Chancellor in New York - NYTimes.com

Cathleen P. Black Is New Schools Chancellor in New York - NYTimes.com

City’s New Schools Chief Has Much in Common With Boss

Cathleen P. Black earned a reputation in publishing as a tough-minded chief executive who never left her employees guessing what she wanted. A student of management, she wrote a book about strategies for success in the corporate world. She thrived as head of a large media company, showing little interest in politics or a public-service job — until, it seems, a big one suddenly opened up.

Michael Appleton for The New York Times

Cathleen P. Black was introduced on Tuesday by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York as the successor to Joel I. Klein, left, who resigned as chancellor of the city's schools.

Cathleen Black Timeline

In other words, she is a lot like MayorMichael R. Bloomberg, who on Tuesday tapped Ms. Black, 66, the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, to be the next chancellor of the New York City school system.

Mr. Bloomberg, of course, also built his fortune in media and wrote a book about how he did it. And no one would ever accuse the mayor of being ambiguous when it comes to conveying his expectations of his staff. Ms. Black, at