New CEO, president elected for Southern Newspapers, Inc.

Lissa Walls Vahldiek and Dolph Tillotson

Effective immediately, titles of the top executive leadership of Southern Newspapers, Inc., are being realigned.

Martha Ann Walls, who has been president and chairman of the board of the company since the early 1970s, announced the changes on Monday, March 10.

"It is my privilege to announce the shareholders of Southern Newspapers, Inc., elected Lissa Walls Vahldiek chief executive officer and Dolph Tillotson president," Mrs. Walls said. "I will retain the title of chairman of the board.

"This realignment of titles more clearly reflects the roles of Lissa and Dolph in their leadership of SNI."

Lissa Vahldiek, daughter of Carmage and Martha Ann Walls, has served as the company's chief operating officer since 1987. She is a native of Alabama and has lived in Texas since 1973.

Dolph Tillotson, who becomes only the third president in SNI's history, joined the company as publisher of The Galveston County Daily News in 1987. Mrs. Walls and her late husband, Carmage Walls, were the previous presidents of the company.

For the past two and a half years, Tillotson has served as executive vice president of the company, overseeing most operations of the 15 newspapers associated with Southern.

Tillotson, 64, is a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and a graduate of the University of Alabama. He is a former president of Boone Newspapers, Inc., and he has operated newspapers in Mississippi, Iowa and Texas.