Tag Archives: training

Forum Communications Co. announces 2013 Forum Forward class

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FARGO, N.D. - Forum Communications Co. has named its Forum Forward class for 2013, company officials announced Friday. This year’s class is comprised of eight individuals, salespeople, reporters, editors and multimedia producers from all over the company’s geographic footprint.

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.

This year’s class includes:

Jon Buller, director of finance for the Duluth News Tribune

- Applicant: Jon Buller, Director of Finance, Duluth News Tribune

Phil Frebault, director of advertising for Rivertowns Newspaper Group

Mentor: Phil Frebault, Advertising Director, RiverTown Multimedia

Leah Kastner, supervisor, FCC Media Planning

- Applicant: Leah Kastner, Media Planning Supervisor, Digital

Kirsten Stromsodt, deputy editor of The Forum

Mentor: Kirsten Stromsodt, Deputy Editor, The Forum

Greg Locnikar, customer service representative, Forum Communications Printing-Fargo

- Applicant: Gregory Locnikar, Customer Service Representative, FCP-Fargo

Chris Dorsey, FCC director digital and major accounts sales

Mentor: Chris Dorsey, Director Digital & Major Accounts, Forum Communications Company

Lori Weber Menke, multimedia manager at the Grand Forks Herald

- Applicant: Lori Weber Menke, Multimedia Manager, Grand Forks Herald

Rob Horken, general manager at WDAY TV

Mentor: Rob Horken, General Manager, WDAZ-TV

Jeff Nelson, news director at WDAY TV

- Applicant: Jeff Nelson, News Director, WDAY TV

Mary Jo Hotzler, director of the Forum News Service

Mentor: Mary Jo Hotzler, Director, Forum News Service

Dave Roepke, news editor at The Forum

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Jon Clites, regional sales manager at WDAY

Applicant: Dave Roepke, News Editor, The Forum
Mentor: Jon Clites, Regional Sales Manager, WDAY

Kevin Smith, advertising director at the West Central Tribune

- Applicant: Kevin Smith, Director of Advertising, West Central Tribune

Roger Sievers, multimedia producer for the Rivertowns Newspaper Group

Mentor: Roger Sievers, Multimedia Producer, RiverTown Multimedia

John Svingen, advertising director at The Pioneer of Bemidji, Minn.

- Applicant: John Svingen, Director of Advertising, The Bemidji Pioneer

Carmen Wallander, customer service manager at Forum Communications Printing-Fargo

Mentor: Carmen Wallander, Customer Service Manager, FCP-Fargo

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 FCCsites and learning from respected leaders in all aspects of the company’s ventures.

Forum Communications Co. is a multimedia information company based in Fargo, N.D. Forum Communicationsowns dozens of newspapers, websites and television and radio stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Forum Communications Co. brings together entire sales force for continuing education

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Forum Communications Co. sales representatives recently attended a daylong continuing education training course in Fargo. The goal was give each sales rep a competitive advantage in their market.

FARGO, N.D. – Forum Communications Co. brought together its entire sales force, including sales representatives from newspaper, broadcast and commercial printing properties, on three dates in early December for sales continuing education during the 2012 FCC Core Skills Workshop.

Dozens of Forum Communications sales reps participated in a full-day course that covered multiple aspects of sales training, with the goal being to give each sales representative a competitive advantage through knowledge of how FCC’s products and services are superior to others.

Lead Trainer Mary Altuvilla of People First Productivity Solutions, a Twin Cities consulting firm, led Forum Communications Co. sales representatives through the training.

The training was organized by Duluth News Tribune Ad Director Roz Randorf, and it was led by Mary Altuvilla, the lead trainer at People First Productivity Solutions, a Twin Cities consulting company.

“By enhancing the skills of the sales representatives,” Randorf said, “we will ultimately educate our customers about the advantages of selecting and using our products and provide them with a top-notch customer experience.”

Forum Communications Co. is a multimedia information company based in Fargo. Forum Communications Co. owns dozens of newspapers, websites and television and radio stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Forum Communications Co. announces 2012 Forum Forward class participants

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Chad Jacobsen

FARGO, N.D. – Forum Communications Co. has named its Forum Forward class for 2012, company officials announced Tuesday. This year’s class is comprised of eight individuals, salespeople, reporters, editors and multimedia producers from all over the company’s geographic footprint.

Lisa Tillotson

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.

This year’s class includes:

- Chad Jacobsen, regional/national digital sales accounts manager, FCC Digital Division, Fargo.

Tara Bitzan

- Lisa Tillotson, JobsHQ sales team leader, FCC Digital Division, Fargo.

- Tara Bitzan, life/variety/special projects edtior, Echo Press, Alexandria, Minn.

Roger Sievers

- Kari Sayler, customer service representative, Forum Communications Printing-Fargo, Fargo.

- Ryan Johnson, news reporter, Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, N.D.

- Roger Sievers, multimedia producer, RiverTown Newspaper Group, Red Wing, Minn.

Heidi Shaffer

- Heidi Shaffer, SheSays editor, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Fargo.

- Joshua Rohrer, regional sales manager, WDAY, Fargo.

Ryan Johnson

Each year, FCCemployees 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 FCCsites and learning from respected leaders in all aspects of the company’s ventures.

Joshua Rohrer

The 2012 class begins its adventure May 9 in Fargo.

Forum Communications Co. is a multimedia information company based in Fargo, N.D. Forum Communicationsowns dozens of newspapers, websites and television and radio stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Forum Communications Co. celebrates graduation of 2010 leadership training class

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FARGO, N.D. – Forum Communications Co. executives and employees gathered May 23 to celebrate the graduation of the second class of company employees from FCC’s leadership training program known as “Forum Forward.”

Senior managers that attended included FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case, Vice President of the Interactive Media Group Paul Amundson, Vice President for Finance John Hajostek, Vice President for Newspapers Steve McLister, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead General Manager James Boberg and Human Resources Director Kate Freimanis.

The Forum Forward 2011 class was also in attendance, as well as graduates from the Forum Forward 2009 class, who were invited to participate in a innovation think tank project launched May 24.

Each year, FCC employees have the opportunity to apply for Forum Forward leadership program 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 employees newer to the company. The members of the class then spend a year traveling to various FCC sites and learning from respected leaders in all aspects of the company’s ventures.

The program was started in 2009 to broaden the leadership skills of the many talented and dedicated employees across Forum Communications Co. and to build the company’s leaders of the next generation.

“This group has spent the past year visiting our various Forum Communication properties and meeting and making contacts. A key component in this program is our mentors, who are assigned at the beginning of the process,” said Sonjia Anderson, Forum Forward coordinator. “Mentors provide guidance, wisdom and can act as a sounding board. It is our hope that the relationships that form here during this year will last over the years.”

Anderson added that the graduation wasn’t the end for this class; it’s only the beginning of their journey, while they continue to keep stretching and challenging themselves to grow both personally as well as professionally.

Forum Forward graduates and their mentors of the class of 2010 include:

- Sue Eider of WDAY (Fargo, N.D.) and her mentor Laura Feldner
- Mandy Erp of Forum Communications Printing-Detroit Lakes (Minn.) and her mentor Rory Palm
- Bonnie Cook of The Pioneer of Bemidji (Minn.) and her mentor Paul Amundson
- Jenelle Stadstad of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald and her mentor Carol Anhorn
- Diann Drew of the Alexandria (Minn.) Echo Press and her mentor John Hajostek
- Becki LaMar of the River Falls (Wis.) Journal and her mentor Joni Harms
- Kirstent Stromsodt of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald and her montor Roz Randorf
- Jennifer Porter of FCC’s Information Services (Fargo, N.D.) and her mentor Jody Hanson

Members of the first Forum Forward class in 2009 and their mentors (in parentheses) were: Carmen Wallander (James Boberg), Mary Jo Hotzler (Mark Prather), Kelly Boldan (Dennis Winskowski), Daniel Conner (Steve Mclister), Steve Kidd (Mike Jacobs), Aaron Becher (Steve Messick), John Clites (Dennis Hall) and Jon Louder (Steve Ammerman).

Information regarding the members of the 2011 Forum Forward class is to come.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Bonnie Cook accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Cook's mentor Vice President of the Interactive Media Group Paul Amundson.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Diane Drew accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Drew's mentor FCC Vice President for Finance John Hajostek.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Jennifer Porter accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Porter's mentor Alexandria Echo Press Publisher Jody Hanson.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Mandy Erp accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Erp's mentor Park Rapids Enterprise Publisher Rory Palm.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Sue Eider accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Eider's mentor Laura Feldner of Forum Communications Printing.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Kirsten Stromsodt accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Stromsodt's mentor Duluth News Tribune Sales Director Roz Randorf.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Janelle Stadstad accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is Stadstad's mentor WDAY General Sales Manager Carol Anhorn.

Forum Forward 2010 graduate Becki LaMar accepts her certificate from FCC President and CEO Lloyd Case (right). At left is LaMar's mentor Worthington (Minn.) Daily Globe Publisher Joni Harms.