Steve Jameson named publisher of the Free Press

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Steve Jameson, an accomplished newspaper executive, has been appointed publisher of the Mankato (Minn.) Free Press, effective Oct. 26, the newspaper announced Friday.

Jameson, 50, is currently the regional advertising director for BH Media newspaper group in southwest Virginia. Papers include the daily Bristol Herald Courier and seven weeklies.

BH Media is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. investment company.

"We are delighted Steve Jameson will soon join the Free Press team," said Steve McPhaul, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc., the paper's parent company. "He has the leadership skills and the experience to continue to steer the newspaper and its digital platforms smartly forward."

A native of Blaine, Minn., Jameson said he is looking forward to returning to his native state, working with the Free Press staff and getting involved in the community.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity to guide a well-known and quality newspaper," he said.

Jameson has been in the newspaper business since purchasing a weekly paper in Lester Prairie, Minn., more than 17 years ago. He moved to Northern California in 2003 to become the classified advertising and online director for a community newspaper group.

Jameson returned to the Midwest in 2008 as director of classified advertising and Hawkeye printing for the Quad-City Times, a prominent Iowa daily owned by Lee Enterprises in Davenport.

But, it wasn't long before he was promoted to editor and publisher of the Lee-owned Muscatine (Iowa) Journal, leading it to twice win the Iowa Press Association's honor as the best small daily in the state.

Jameson also won editorial writing awards from the Iowa Associated Press Managing Editors organization in 2013 and 2014. He was honored as a "master columnist" by the Iowa Newspaper Foundation in 2013.

Jameson and his wife, Susan, have two daughters, ages 24 and 19. He is an Air Force veteran, and holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Minnesota, and a master's degree in business from St. Ambrose University in Davenport.

Jameson, Mankato, CNHI, McPhaul
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