Gannett’s U.S. Community Publishing Division Reorganized; Executives Named

For immediate release

6/27/08

Gannett’s U.S. Community Publishing Division Reorganized; Executives Named

McLEAN, VA – Gannett today announced a reorganization of its U.S. Community Publishing division, several executive appointments and two retirements:

Five regional groups become four groups: East, South, Interstate and West.

“This reorganization both refines our structure and puts our top people in key jobs with expanded responsibilities around the country,” said Dickey. “This will allow us to realign our strategic objectives and focus on top line growth as we go forward.

“In particular, I would like to welcome Laura Hollingsworth to the rank of group president. In a relatively brief time at the helm of the Des Moines paper, she has demonstrated great skill, leadership and savvy. She’s a fine example of the great up and coming management talent we have at Gannett.

“However, we will be saying good-bye to two outstanding executives who have been instrumental in the accomplishments of our division for several years. Barbara Henry and Denise Ivey will be sorely missed, but we wish them well as they move into the next phase of their lives,” Dickey said. “We deeply appreciate all they have done for Gannett.”

Dickey also announced two executive appointments on the corporate staff of U.S. Community Publishing and a publisher/president appointment in the field.

“Michelle and Evan fill new positions on the corporate staff that will enable Community Publishing to move forward quickly on our key strategic initiatives in the coming months. I am very pleased to have them on my corporate team,” Dickey said. “Rich is an innovative leader and will be a great asset for Laura as she enters her new role within the West Group.”

Biographies

W. Curtis Riddle

Curtis Riddle, 57, has been the senior group president of the East Newspaper Group and president and publisher of The News Journal of Wilmington, DE, since 1994. He joined Gannett in 1972 as a reporter and editorial writer for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY. He was a reporter and editor for the Baltimore Sun from 1976 before joining USA TODAY in 1982 as deputy managing editor. He then served as managing editor and special assistant to the publisher at The Cincinnati Enquirer before becoming publisher of the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN, in 1988. Riddle was named a regional vice president in 1989, and became regional president in 1991 when he was named publisher of the Lansing (MI) State Journal. He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a B.A. in English.

Michelle M. Krans

Michelle Krans, 46, was named president and publisher of The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, CA in 2005 and became a group vice president in the Pacific Group the following year. Krans began her career with Gannett in 1990 as marketing and promotions manager at The Desert Sun. In 1995, she became market development director at The Salinas Californian. She returned to Palm Springs in 1998 as custom publishing manager and later was promoted to market development director. In 2002, she became advertising and marketing director. Krans has a B.S. in business from California State University, Northridge.

Carol O. Hudler

Carol Hudler, 52, who became president and publisher of The News-Press in Fort Myers, FL, in 2000, has been president of the Sun Coast Group since its inception in January 2006. She began her journalism career in 1977 as the assistant to the advertising manager of Vance Publications in Kansas City, KS in 1977. She held advertising and sales jobs at a number of publications in Kansas, Missouri and California before joining Gannett in 1988 as director of advertising at the Fort Myers newspaper. She also served as director and vice president of advertising at Gannett’s Rochester, NY, newspaper and was named president and publisher of The Macon (GA) Telegraph in 1995. She received her B.S. in journalism at the University of Kansas.

Denise H. Ivey

Denise Ivey, 58, has served as group president of Mid-South Group and president and publisher of The Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY, since January 2006. Before that, Ivey was president and publisher of the Pensacola (FL) News Journal in and a group president from 1994. Ivey began her career at The Times in Gainesville, GA, in 1983 as the assistant controller, was named controller and became publisher in 1986. She became president and publisher of The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington, WV, and a group vice president in 1990. She received a B.S. in accounting from Louisiana State University/Alexandria.

Laura L. Hollingsworth

Laura Hollingsworth, 41, has been president and publisher of The Des Moines (IA) Register since 2007. She also has been a general manager and a vice president of advertising at the newspaper. Hollingsworth began her Gannett career as an account executive at the Olympia, WA, newspaper in 1989, where she also served as a supervisor of sales, assistant manager of retail advertising and manager of retail advertising. She became manager of retail advertising at the Rockford (IL) Register Star, then director of advertising at the Lansing (MI) State Journal in 1999. She received a B.A. in communication from the University of Wisconsin/Green Bay.

Barbara A. Henry

Barbara A. Henry, 55, has been president and publisher of The Indianapolis Star since 2000 and a group president since 2002. She has been a senior group president of the Interstate Newspaper Group since its inception in 2005. Henry began her Gannett career as a reporter at the Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal in 1974, where she also served as a wire editor, city editor, managing editor and executive editor. She also served as one of the founding assistant national editors of USA TODAY in 1982. She was editor of the Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle from 1986 to 1991, when she became president and publisher of the Great Falls (MT) Tribune. She was named a regional vice president in 1994 and became president and publisher of The Des Moines (IA) Register in 1996. She received a B.A. in journalism from the University of Nevada.

Richard A. Ramhoff

Richard A. Ramhoff, 40, has been president and publisher of the Lansing (MI) State Journal and group vice president of Gannett’s Midwest Group since May 2007. Before that, he was president and publisher of the Livingston County (MI) Daily Press & Argus since 2005. He graduated from Kent State University with a B.A. in journalism.

Evan A. Ray

Evan A. Ray, 54, has been the chief financial officer of Phoenix Newspapers Inc. from 2000 and a group controller since 1991. He had been director of finance for the Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal from 1991; was vice president of finance for The Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock from 1984; and was controller for the Tallahassee (FL) Democrat from 1979. Ray graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. in accounting.

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYc: GCI) is a leading international news and information company that publishes 85 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns nearly 900 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 nearly 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 23 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.

Media inquiries:
Tara Connell
Vice President of Corporate Communications
(703) 854-6049
tjconnel@gannett.com