Lee Enterprises Aligns Executives for Acquisition
The $694 million transaction, announced Tuesday, is expected to close within 90 days.
"We have a strong group of senior executives and we're gaining talented publishers from Howard, so we're able to absorb the new papers by adding and shifting responsibilities," said Mary Junck, chairman and chief executive officer.
As part of the alignment, two Lee Enterprises publishers will assume group publishing responsibilities.
Linda Lindus, publisher of the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, also will oversee two of the incoming papers, the Journal Gazette in Mattoon and the Times-Courier in Charleston. Another of Lee's existing newspapers, the Herald & Review in Decatur, also will become part of the group.
Michael Gulledge, publisher of the Billings Gazette in Montana, will have additional group responsibility for two of Lee's existing newspapers, the Montana Standard in Butte and the Independent Record in Helena, as well as for Montana Magazine, also based in Helena.
Four officers in addition to Junck will have operational responsibilities.
James W. Hopson, vice president for publishing in Wisconsin and Minnesota, will oversee two of the incoming papers, The Times of northwest Indiana based in Munster, and The Journal-Standard in Freeport, Ill. Lindus will report to Hopson, who also is publisher of the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison.
Michael E. Phelps, vice president for sales & marketing, will gain additional responsibility, overseeing four of the incoming papers, the Waterloo Courier in Iowa; The Times and Democrat in Orangeburg, S.C.; The Sentinel in Carlisle, Pa.; and The Ledger-Independent in Maysville, Ky. He also will have group responsibility for Lee's three existing newspapers in Iowa.
John VanStrydonck, vice president for publishing in the Pacific Northwest, will have additional group responsibility for one of the incoming papers, The Daily News in Longview, Wash.
Greg R. Veon, vice president for publishing, will oversee five of the incoming papers. They are The Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y.; the Casper Star-Tribune in Wyoming; The Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho; The Leader in Corning, N.Y., and The Citizen in Auburn, N.Y. He also will oversee Lee's joint interest in the Sioux City Journal in Iowa. Veon's other responsibilities include Lee's newspapers and other operations in Montana, Nebraska and North and South Dakota. Gulledge will report to Veon.
The publisher of the remaining incoming paper, Dick High of the North County Times in Oceanside and Escondido, Calif., will report directly to Junck.
With the acquisition, Lee will own 38 daily newspapers and have a joint interest in six others, with total circulation of 1.1 million daily and 1.2 million Sunday in 18 states. Lee also owns more than 100 weekly newspapers, shoppers and specialty publications, along with associated online services. Lee is based in Davenport, Iowa, and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LEE.
More information about Lee Enterprises and the Howard acquisition is available at www.lee.net.
CONTACT: Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, Davenport
Dan Hayes, 563/383-2163
dan.hayes@lee.net
www.lee.net
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