Jack Pate has retired as president and publisher of the Courier & Press in Evansville, Ind., and The Gleaner in Henderson, Ky. His role with the Courier Co. also encompassed the Union County (Ky.) Advocate and Audubon Printing in Henderson.

David Adams was recently named as the new publisher of GateHouse Media newspapers in central Illinois. He will oversee nine daily papers, 20 weeklies and 10 shoppers.

Henry Bird, regional executive for Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc., will retire March 31, capping a half-century newspaper career that started with his serving tea to editors in his native Ireland.

Julie Fox, a veteran newspaper executive, has been appointed publisher of the Times West Virginian in Fairmont, W.Va.

Walter M. Wick, an inductee in the Arizona Newspaper Association Hall of Fame and publisher emeritus of the Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review, died Christmas morning at his home in Hereford, Ariz.

Along with brother Bob Wick, Walter Wick guided ownership of Wick Communications for more than a half century.

Patrick Birmingham has departed as president of the Knoxville News Sentinel. He was a member of the SNPA Board of Directors, representing newspapers in Tennessee.

Lauren Easton, who joined The Associated Press last year as media relations manager, has been promoted to director of media relations.

Martha Arnold Susong (Arne) Jones, who played a variety of significant roles at The Greeneville (Tenn.) Sun for some six decades, died Friday, Dec. 16, at Laughlin Memorial Hospital. She was 101 years of age.

Doug Franklin, a former door-to-door newspaper subscription salesman who later served as publisher of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and chief financial officer of media conglomerate Cox Enterprises, will become the new chief executive of The Boston Globe.

Dave Eldridge, a 35-year newspaper executive, has been appointed publisher of the Corbin Times-Tribune and The London Sentinel-Echo in south-central Kentucky.

Eldridge currently serves as publisher of the Richmond Register in Richmond, Ky. He will continue in that role with his expanded regional responsibilities at the Corbin and London properties.