I’m seeking a leadership role in the field of communications, journalism or public relations. My experience and skills are best utilized as a department head, but I have a solid foundation as a writer, editor and designer.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

THE ROBESONIAN

Lumberton, North Carolina. Circulation 60,000. September 2021 to present.

Manage twice weekly newspaper and 8,000 subscriber eNewsletter.
Manage local newsroom reporters producing public safety, education, local entertainment and sports.
Write and edit local business trends stories.
Write and manage Opinion Page content including editorials and weekly columns.
Manage social media strategy in coordination with local advertising and graphics teams.

Key Accomplishments:

Developed a content flow system to ensure stories make it on the news budget, online and in print.
Implemented a best practices routine for story editing that involved the newsroom team.
Created an Online Plan to better track stories from development to online posting.
Refined news beats to make them more relevant to our readership based on demographic information.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

Fayetteville, NC. Circulation 15,000. April 2021 to August 2021.

Hire and train a newsroom team, including a pool of free-lancers.
Establish the content plan and editorial standards to launch the new newspaper.
Create a daily newsletter to reach a growing audience in a competitive news environment.
Provide editorial guidance to ensure coverage of both breaking news and comprehensive issues.

Key Accomplishments:

Created a story budget system to help editors and reporters work more efficiently.
Developed an ongoing internet first plan to increase online readers.
Launched inaugural edition of the newspaper.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Summerville Communications

Charleston, South Carolina. Circulation 47,000. December 2015 to March 2021.

Manage three non-daily papers: Summerville Journal Scene, Berkeley Independent, Goose Creek Gazette.
Direct news staff covering hyper-local community news products.
Establish online initiatives to reach growing audience.
Determine editorial position of news products and write opinion pieces.
Provide updated training for staff related to news standards.

Key Accomplishments:

Established regular newspaper editorial pages.
Develop annual Prep Sports Awards that honor local high school athletes.
Launched Athlete of the Week feature.
Coordinated school journalism initiative “Turtle Times” with elementary school staff and students.
Assist in complete remodel of company building and coordinate news deadlines.
Trained newsroom staff on new content management system, including SEO basics related to writing, editing and design.
Shifted staff into a digital first model that included incremental reporting, video reporting and photo galleries.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The Daily Herald

Provo, Utah. Circulation 36,000. October 2013 to July 2015.

Manage all sections editors.
Develop community news sources and contacts.
Oversee cost controls related to the news department.
Develop digital standards and manage daily online goals.
Run daily news meetings, editorial board meetings, etc.

Key Accomplishments:

Repurposed universal copy desk to a regional design center.
Established an online culture within all departments of the newsroom.
Lead Pulitizer Prize committee with story on Campbell family’s battle with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)

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Mansfield News Journal/Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum

Mansfield, Ohio. Circulation 25,000. January 2010 to October 2013.

Manage newsroom activities including story development and various administrative duties (payroll budgeting, etc.)
Work as a community liaison in numerous public service functions.
Keep abreast of, and train staff in new technologies related to digital journalism.
Manage a combined copy/design desk to paginate five daily papers.
Run daily news budget meetings and coordinate coverage with 10 other daily newspapers.

Key Accomplishments:

Transitioned newsroom from Apple platform (NewsEdit/Quark) to CCI/Newsgate.
Developed and Launched daily editorial pages.
Directed the annual high school athletes annual year-end awards banquet.
Coached editors and reporters working at five newspapers in north central Ohio.
Placed in Associated Press' General Excellence category all years.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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Utah Business magazine

Salt Lake City, Utah. Circulation 25,000. June 2009 to October 2009.

Coordinate news coverage for Utah Business, Digital IQ and other publications.
Develop credible news sources for online and print stories.
Speak at company events, write speeches for company officials, and serve as community liaison/figurehead.
Lead the collaborative effort to coordinate monthly business awards.
Write opinion columns for the magazine.
Run monthly corporate round tables that bring industry leaders together to share and solve common issues.

Key Accomplishments:

Successfully transitioned the annual Book of Lists from a contract project to an internal publication. This included contract negotiations and hiring new staff.
Launched the first of what was planned to be an annual Green Business Awards to honor Utah businesses for their efforts in environmentally sustainable operations.
Managed the move and redesign of complex company Web site.

MANAGING EDITOR

tHE bLACKFOOT Morning News

Blackfoot, Idaho. Circulation 5,000. October 2008 to June 2009.

Direct all news coverage for daily newspaper and associated special sections.
Work with community leaders to promote positive local stories and programs.
Develop editorial opinions for the newspaper and run the editorial board.
Paginate daily newspaper and special sections.
Develop sources, write stories and shoot photos on deadline.
Manage department budgets and special projects.

Key Accomplishments:

Established a culture of covering breaking news on deadline.
Began long-range planning to provide better coverage of complex community issues such as economic development, politics and cultural diversity.
Hired and trained a talented staff of reporters and editors to provided better news coverage. “Overall we have a very good staff; probably as good as I've had here.” - Publisher Leonard Martin.

BREAKING
NEWS/ONLINE EDITOR

Idaho Statesman

Boise, Idaho. Circulation 80,000. October 2006 to September 2008.

Coordinate breaking news coverage.
Develop Web-based, value-added content.
Manage reporters’ work schedules and work flow.
Post stories online using Web based software.

Key Accomplishments:

Helped increase online news hits from 150,000 daily to 300,000 daily.
Expanded local coverage of Sunday obituary feature stories.
Restructured metro desk beats into breaking and non-breaking reporting to better serve online readers.

PUBLISHER/ EXECUTIVE EDITOR/ NEWS EDITOR

Troy Daily News

Troy, Ohio. Circulation: 12,000. September 1997 to October 2006.

Prepare, monitor and adjust annual department budgets.
Promote company products in the community – news, online, direct mail.
Conduct performance reviews, hire/fire, etc.
Coach and train editorial staff and coordinate news coverage.
Write weekly column and regular opinion pieces.
Act as community liaison: Direct citywide media day event, serve on community tourism board, serve on Chamber of Commerce audit committee, direct election forums, etc.

Key Accomplishments:

Launched a high school football section, “The Blitz.”
Instituted weekly advertising sales strategies with ad reps based on news content.
Created local editorial board and met weekly as a team of staff and community members.
Directed redesign of newspaper, including content and layout.
Successfully streamlined an over-sized staff to take advantage of partnerships with sister publications.
Created news partnerships with community organizations – county fair board, YMCA, tourism board, etc.
Launched online version of newspaper, merged online staff with news staff.
Earned multiple awards from Associated Press and within Brown Publishing for graphics, general excellence, and front page layout.
Introduced full-page pagination to the Universal Desk.
Expanded the weekly entertainment section to include local movie, music, and theater reviews.

​NEWS EDITOR

THE Daily Herald

Provo, Utah Circulation: 36,000. September 1997 to October 1999.

Managed a staff of seven copy editors.
Coordinate dummy creation with pagination.
Produced graphics for print and online editions.
Trained copy editors on full-page pagination.

Key Accomplishments:

Established the position of graphic illustrator.
Transitioned copy desk from print only to print and online editing.
Created regular editorial page with designated editorial desk editor.
Streamlined pagination process to give copy editors more control over layout.

ASST. NEWS EDITOR/ SYSTEMS EDITOR

The Visalia Times Delta

Visalia, Calif. Circulation: 28,000. June 1996 to September 1997.

Manage copy desk of five editors.
Develop daily news budgets.
Manage flow of local and wire copy.
Edit local graphics.

Key Accomplishments:

Trained copy desk/sports desk in use of QuarkXPress for full-page pagination.
Created newsroom style guide, source list and other copy desk tools.
Developed locally produced weather page.

MANAGING EDITOR

The Siskiyou Daily News

Yreka, Calif. Circulation: 6,000. May 1995 to June 1996.

Direct a seven-person newsroom and pool of stringers.
Act as community liaison attending service organizations and other community functions
Write editorials, features.
Train and coach staff in use of newsroom computers and systems.

Key Accomplishments:

Trained staff in practice of full-page pagination.
Introduced “usable news” features to paper – gas prices, local business info, weather, etc.
Created newsroom style guide.
Designed front-end system to more efficiently sort local and wire news.
Redesigned/updated front page nameplate and other style elements.

EDITOR

The Hermiston Herald

Hermiston, Ore. Circulation: 3,100. August 1993 to May 1995.

Coordinate and plan news coverage by five news reporters and freelance writers.
Edit all copy.
Design, layout and paginate pages.
Develop community contacts and promote newspaper.
Hire and train editorial staff.

Key Accomplishments:

Coordinated transfer from paste-up to full-page pagination and introduced new front-end system for writers.
Created a local editorial board with locally written editorials.
Created a “rant and rave” feature for the editorial page.
Partnered with circulation manager to increase circulation by 5 percent.
Created newsroom style guide.
Introduced online content by taking advantage of the “new” World Wide Web.
Recognized by Society of Professional Journalists for layout and design work.

EDITOR

The Quincy Valley Post Register

Quincy, Wash. Circulation: 2,000. May 1992 to August 1993.

Coordinate and plan news coverage by five news reporters and free-lance writers
Edit all copy.
Design, layout and paginate pages.
Develop community contacts and promote newspaper.
Hire and train editorial staff.

Key Accomplishments:

Remodeled newsroom.
Began full-page pagination.
Redesigned paper which led to selection as first place in General Excellence from Washington Newspaper Association.