Paxton Media Group announces one retirement, four new management roles

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Paxton Media Group has announced several promotions due to retirements and an acquisition in its North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia Division. The announcement came from Jana Thomasson who will be assuming the president role of the North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia Division of PMG in January 2019.

"I am excited to see members of our group advance into new positions," said Thomasson. "I also wish the ones retiring my very best. They'll truly be missed."

Marvin Enderle has announced his intention to retire as publisher of The Newspapers of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., at the end of the year.  In this role, Enderle has overseen The Times-Georgian in Carrollton, The Douglas County Sentinel in Douglasville and The Griffin Daily News in Griffin. 

"Marvin has been a key contributor to the success of our company during his more than 20 years of service," said David Paxton, president and CEO of Paxton Media Group. "He has taken on many challenges during that time and always risen to the occasion. We will miss him, but we wish him the very best as he moves into the next phase of his life."

Enderle started early in the newspaper business as a youth carrier for the Southeast Missourian and as a teenager worked on crew sales with his father who was employed by the paper. After an enlistment in the Air Force, Enderle's professional career in the newspaper industry began in 1979 with Gannett as a district manager at the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader. His newspaper general management career began in 1987 with Park Newspapers, Inc. at The Evening Sun in Norwich, N.Y.  His 21 years of employment with Paxton Media Group started in 1997 as publisher of the Enquirer-Journal in Monroe, N.C. He was named publisher of the Daily Courier in Russellville, Ark., in 2000 and returned to Monroe as publisher in 2004. In 2014, he became publisher of The Newspapers of West Georgia in Carrollton.

"I am exceedingly proud to have worked in the community newspaper industry for more than 39 years," Enderle said, "What the employees of our industry do are invaluable to the communities our newspapers serve. I am indeed fortunate to have been able to work with the dedicated professionals of Paxton Media Group and consider it a privilege to have started my employment with the company under the leadership of Fred Paxton."

"Everyone who knows Marvin or has had the privilege of working with him, fully understands his incredible people skills, said Paxton Media Group NC/TN/GA division President Rick Bean. "We wish him well."

Rachael Raney will succeed Enderle in Georgia.  Raney joined Paxton Media Group 29 years ago in Paducah, Ky. She served in a number of roles at The Paducah Sun and Sun Publishing prior to becoming the publisher of The Shelbyville News in Shelbyville, Ind., and shortly after arrival overseeing the News Examiner in Connersville, Ind., from January 2007 until June of 2016.

Raney joins The Newspaper of West Georgia from The Sanford Herald in Sanford, N.C., where she has served as publisher/advertising director since June 2016.

"I am excited to join the Georgia group and work with the talented team who serve our communities," Raney said, "It is my goal to be the best newspapers possible and consistently represent the communities and advertisers we serve each and every day."

Jeff Ayers has been named to replace Rachael Raney in Sanford. Ayers has been with The Sanford Herald since 1989. He has held the position of circulation director for the past 20 years, overseeing subscription services, packaging and distribution during that time.

"I'm very excited about my new role here at The Herald," Ayers said. "I've seen many changes in the newspaper industry and in our own local paper over the years and I'm eager to work with the talented staff here to continue moving forward. The goal will always be to provide our readers and advertisers with the best possible product. That's something our community expects and deserves."

Nancy Baker will assume the role of publisher at The High Point Enterprise in High Point, N.C., following Rick Bean's retirement announcement earlier this year.

Baker joined PMG and the newspaper industry in 1995 as business manager of The (Henderson, N.C.) Daily Dispatch.  In 2004 she became business manager of The High Point Enterprise and in 2011 was named regional controller for the division that consists of 12 newspapers throughout North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Baker will continue to serve in this role in addition to assuming the publisher duties.

"I'm honored and excited to become publisher of The Enterprise." Baker said. "We have a great leadership team and staff. High Point is in a transformational period of its history and I'm looking forward to contributing to the community however I can. This newspaper has a long history of excellence that we have every intention of continuing."

John McClure has been appointed as director of advertising sales at the newly acquired Goldsboro News-Argus in North Carolina. He has been in the newspaper business since graduating from Indiana University with a BA in journalism in 1990.  McClure began his career as an advertising consultant with the Herald Journal in Monticello, Ind., before taking his first advertising manager position with Park Newspapers in Plymouth, Ind. McClure also has served as advertising director in Austin, Minn., with the Austin Daily Herald, publisher of the Waupaca County News, Buyers Guide Group, Women's Magazine, Auto Gazette and Marketplace Magazine for Journal Community Publishing Group in Waupaca, Wis., and advertising director with the Tribune Star in Terra Haute, Ind., before becoming advertising director for the High Point Enterprise in 2011.

"I look forward to working with such a talented group of newspaper professionals at the Goldsboro News-Argus and continue to grow and develop our local newspaper building upon such a strong prior history and commitment to our readers, advertisers and community partners," McClure said.

McClure assumes his new role immediately, while the others will begin Jan. 1.  Paxton Media Group's NC/TN/GA Division is comprised of eight newspapers in North Carolina, one in Tennessee and three in Georgia.

Paxton, Thomasson, Enderle, Raney, Ayers, Baker, Bean, McClure
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