Press Releases

Hero image
For immediate release
8/9/05

Gannett Announces Executive Appointments

McLEAN, VA – Several executive appointments were announced today in the Newspaper Division:

    John E. Newhouse becomes president and publisher of The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS, succeeding J. Michael Craft who is retiring.

    William E. (Ed) Humphrey succeeds Newhouse as president and publisher of The Town Talk and McCormick Graphics in Alexandria, LA. He previously was senior vice president/circulation of the Detroit Newspaper Agency.

    Peter A. Zanmiller becomes president and publisher of The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington, WV. He succeeds Elizabeth (Pat) Thompson Frantz who assumes the role of chairwoman at the newspaper. Zanmiller previously was production director at FLORIDA TODAY in Brevard County.

“Each of these appointments, once again, demonstrates the depth and breadth of talent in Gannett,” said Gary L. Watson, president of the Newspaper Division. “These executives have proven performance records and are ready to assume additional responsibilities.”

Newhouse joined Gannett (NYSE: GCI) in 2000 with the company’s acquisition of the Central Newspapers group. He was named publisher in Alexandria in 1996. He previously held management positions at New York Times Regional Group newspapers in Florida, Mississippi and North Carolina. He is a graduate of Tennessee Technical University.

Humphrey joined Gannett in 1986 as circulation director at FLORIDA TODAY. Four years later, he joined the Newspaper Division staff as circulation operations director. He later was director and vice president/circulation. He moved to Detroit in 1999. He attended Eastern Kentucky University.

After graduation from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1986, Zanmiller joined USA TODAY as a production coordinator. He also has served as production director at The Ithaca (NY) Journal and the Times Herald in Port Huron, MI.

Craft is completing a 27-year career with Gannett newspapers, including The Des Moines Register, The Jackson (TN) Sun and The Times in Shreveport, LA.

“We wish to thank Mike for all his efforts and contributions,” Watson said. “We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

Frantz joined the company in 1979 at the Niagara (NY) Gazette. After holding advertising management positions, she served as the president and publisher of the Public Opinion in Chambersburg, PA; the Star-Gazette in Elmira, NY and the Great Falls (MT) Tribune, before joining The Herald-Dispatch in 2003. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Buffalo (NY). She has announced plans to retire at the end of 2005.

Successors to Humphrey at the Detroit Newspaper Partnership, L.P., and Zanmiller at FLORIDA TODAY will be named shortly.

Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 101 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 800 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 21 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.

For more information, contact:
Tara Connell
Vice President of Corporate Communications
(703) 854-6049
tjconnel@gannett.com