Publisher Grateful for Relationships

As I reflect on our 40th anniversary and my journey here at People Newspapers, what comes to mind are the many people I have had the good fortune to work with and meet.

I’ve worked for People Newspapers and D Magazine (our parent company) all together for 26 years; I guess you could say I grew up here. I’m grateful for the experiences and the gift of working with some very talented individuals.

It’s not a secret that folks in newspapering, especially community newspapers, don’t make a lot of money. Most stay in this profession because they love what they do and are committed to the excellence we strive for.

In 1993 my mentor and friend Kay Moran, then the paper’s owner, entrusted me to run it when I had no journalistic experience and was just 30 years old. I had enough sense to hire people that knew what they were doing, and I was fortunate that there were already dedicated, talented employees on staff.

I started a few months earlier as a part-time special projects manager (a made-up title) while learning the business and figuring out who did what. In that role, we launched a customized TV guide for the Park Cities, which had their own cable provider at the time.

Along the way, I’ve developed a good eye for page layout, and I’m halfway decent at spotting needed edits.

What I love about my job is having a product valued by the community we serve and working with the talented individuals who make that happen.

Perusing our archives to jog my memory, I’ve come across names I had forgotten and folks I will never forget.

Thank you to these former co-workers who have made me so proud, and in one way or another, helped me to grow: Suzy Williford, Dorothy Wood, Maureen O’Donnell, Guy Griffin, Ray Wilkerson, Tom Boone, Glenda Vosburgh, Carolyn Tillery, Nikol Dittman, Molly Nolan, Lynn Timm, Jake Dean, David Westapher, Agness Robertson, Don Hancock, Steve Lansdale, Chris McGathey, Alma Ritter, Bernadette Ramirez, Kate Martin, Elizabeth Ygartua, Amy Curry, Jeremy Chesnut, Chuck Cox, and Dan Koller. I’ll never forget the late Tom Robertson, Ken Henze, and Geraldine Galentree.

And that brings me to our current staff that continues our long tradition of serving our readers with national award-winning community newspapers: editor William Taylor, digital editor Bethany Erickson, deputy editor Rachel Snyder, sports editor, Todd Jorgenson, art and production director Melanie Thornton, digital and production assistant Mia Carrera, distribution manager Mike Reinboldt, distribution consultant Don Hancock, client relations & marketing coordinator Maddie Spera, advertising account executive, Tana Hunter, Quita Johnson, and Evelyn Wolff, and last but not least senior account executive Kim Hurmis, who was here when I started.

What’s kept Kim here for 39 years?

“I have always taken pride in the newspapers we publish and the communities that we serve,” she told me. “I love the sales process, and relationships that I have built with my advertisers over the years are a bonus.”