Monthly Archives: July 2011

Cook named to head Forum Communications Co. creative services department

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Bonnie Cook has been named director of Forum Communications Co.'s creative services department.

FARGO, N.D. – Forum Communications Co. has announced that Bonnie Cook, a longtime employee of The Pioneer in Bemidji, Minn., was recently appointed to lead the company’s creative services department.

Cook will supervise the department, which is housed at Forum Communications Co. headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and will over see the continuing consolidation/innovation of ad creation for the company’s 33 newspapers. She also is charged with ensuring that clients’ needs will be met on deadline, even as the company continues to evolve its ad-creation process.

Cook’s experience as a production services manager/systems administrator at The Pioneer, a Forum Communications Co. newspaper, made her a great fit for this new position, said Vice President for Newspapers Steve McLister. Overall, she spent 17 years working for The Pioneer.

“Bonnie has a distinguished history of performance with The Pioneer and is an excellent leader, communicator and total team player,” McLister said. “She understands the needs of the advertiser, the needs of the newspapers we serve and the wants/desires of sales personnel.”

Cook also was a recent graduate of Forum Communication Co’s internal leadership program known as “Forum Foward.” She started her position in early July.

Forum Communications Co. recognizes 15 sales reps for leading digital media sales

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Forum Communications Co. has announced that 15 sales professionals were named “Pacesetters” at the close of the company’s fiscal quarter that ended June 30.

The company’s “Pacesetter” award recognizes sales representatives who have achieved their digital media sales goals during the quarter.

“The Pacesetter sales representatives are doing a great job in working with our clients to communicate and demonstrate how digital media can be an effective part of their advertising budget,” said FCC Digital Media Sales Director Chris Dorsey.

Pacesetter sales reps included:
- Lori Landa, FCC Employment Sales Center
- Kathy Costello, FCC Employment Sales Center
- Lisa Tillotson, FCC Employment Center
- Beverly Suckow, RiverTowns Newspaper Group
- Lana Birkhofer, Duluth Newspaper Group
- Sandy Dobrava, Duluth Newspaper Group
- Sue Wilson, RiverTowns Newspaper Group
- Jennifer Ekberg, Grand Forks Herald
- Patrick Moore, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead
- Eric Olson, Duluth Newspaper Group
- Jason Rolland, Grand Forks Herald
- Nick Omberg, Detroit Lakes Newspapers
- Lisa Stevens, Grand Forks Herald
- Kyle Houske, Grand Forks Herald
- Kayla Anderson, Grand Forks Herald

Forum Forward class of 2011 embarks on year of training, mentorship

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Eight Forum Communications Co. employees recently were introduced as the Forum Forward class of 2011.

Forum Forward is an internal company leadership program created in 2009 to broaden the leadership skills of the dedicated employees across Forum Communications Co. and to build the company’s next generation of leaders.

Each year, FCC employees have the opportunity to apply for Forum Forward and company executives choose the finalists who undergo a year of site visits, leadership studies and mentoring. Each graduate is assigned a mentor from inside the company, someone who has demonstrated leadership and the ability to help build the skills of their employees. The class then spends a year traveling to various FCC sites and learning from respected leaders in all aspects of the company’s ventures.

The 2011 class began its adventure May 23 at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, where company executives provided an overview of the company and a tour of The Forum. Later, the class met their mentors and participated in a leadership training program. The 2011 class had the opportunity to continue their networking activities at the 2010 Forum Forward Graduation ceremony at the Holiday Inn.

This year’s class will be visiting various FCC properties during the next 12 months, as well as participating in a group visit to Forum Communication Printing, the company’s digital division and the WDAY TV station in October.

The Forum Forward 2011 class and their mentors are:

- Stacey Anderson, assignment editor, WDAY TV, Fargo, N.D.
Mentor: Robin Washington, executive editor, Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune

- Christopher Berdahl, operations and technology manager, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.
Mentor: Ken Browall, publisher, Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune

- Jaclyn King, ad director, The Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer
Mentor: Zac Ahrens, ad director, Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, N.D.

-Jennifer McBride, managing editor, The Dickinson Press, Dickinson, N.D.
Mentor: Matt Von Pinnon, editor, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.

- Shane Mercer, community content manager, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.
Mentor: Dennis Doeden, publisher, The Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer

- Mike Noll, pre-press manager, Forum Communications Printing-Detroit Lakes, Detroit Lakes, Minn.    Mentor: Harvey Brock, Publisher, The Dickinson Press, Dickinson, N.D.

- Nick Omberg, sales and digital media consultant/online coordinator, Detroit Lakes Newspapers, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Mentor: Phil Frebault, online coordinator director, RiverTown Newspaper Group

- Christopher Welle, product development manager, Interactive Media Group, Fargo, N.D.
Mentor: Bill Marcil, publisher, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.

 

The 2011 Forum Forward class (from left) includes: Jennifer McBride, managing editor, The Dickinson Press, Dickinson, N.D.; Christopher Berdahl, operations and technology manager, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.; Mike Noll, pre-press manager, Forum Communications Printing-Detroit Lakes, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Christopher Welle, product development manager, Interactive Media Group, Fargo, N.D.; Nick Omberg, sales and digital media consultant/online coordinator, Detroit Lakes Newspapers, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Stacey Anderson, assignment editor, WDAY TV, Fargo, N.D.; Jaclyn King, ad director, The Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer; and Shane Mercer, community content manager, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo, N.D.

 

West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minn., hires Tom Larson as sports editor

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Tom Larson recently was hired as the new sports editor at the West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minn.

Tom Larson has been named sports editor at the West Central Tribune of Willmar, Minn. Larson’s selection was announced July 1 by West Central Tribune Editor Kelly Boldan.

Larson, 51, has worked since 2004 as editor of the Morris Sun Tribune. He also is a native of nearby Benson, Minn.

“Tom brings a wide array of sports and news experience, as well as a deep knowledge of sports in west central Minnesota,” Boldan said. “His commitment to telling good stories and strong journalism will help continue the West Central Tribune’s strong sports legacy in the region.”

Larson is scheduled to start at the Tribune on July 25. He replaces Scott Thoma, who left the newspaper in June. Larson is looking forward to his return to the West Central Tribune where he worked as a sports writing intern in 1982.

“I’ve read the Tribune my entire life and it’s the place where I got my start working in newspapers,” Larson said. “I’m excited by the opportunity to help continue the Tribune’s great tradition of sports coverage.”

“Tom is a dedicated and sincere writer and has been a tremendous asset to the Morris Sun Tribune over the past seven years,” said Sun Tribune General Manager Sue Dieter. ”Tom’s keen interest in area sports makes the position at the West Central Tribune an ideal job for him. While it will be difficult to replace him, we wish him the best.”

Larson is a graduate of Benson High School, Willmar Community College and the University of Minnesota. At the university, he majored in journalism and worked at the Minnesota Daily newspaper, serving in a number of roles. He was an editor and as a reporter he covered the Gopher men’s basketball team.

He worked 10 years at the St. Cloud Times as a sports reporter and columnist, covering St. John’s University and College of St. Benedict athletics and local high school athletics. He also worked six years at the Duluth News-Tribune as a sports reporter, primarily covering University of Minnesota-Duluth athletics, local Northern League and Northwoods League baseball teams and high school athletics.

The West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minn., and the Morris (Minn.) Sun Tribune and the Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune are owned by Forum Communications Co.