THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511040274
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Landmark Communications Inc. on Friday announced the promotion of two senior executives and the resignation of another.
The Norfolk-based media company, parent of The Virginian-Pilot, said Walter Rugaber, president and publisher of The Roanoke Times, was named to the additional position of president of the Landmark Publishing Group. He will oversee the company's newspaper and specialty publication divisions.
Donald H. Patterson Jr., Landmark executive vice president, was named to the additional position of president-Landmark Broadcasting. Landmark's two television stations, in Nashville and Las Vegas, will report directly to him.
Douglas B. Fox, Landmark's chief operating officer for the past 17 months, resigned. He joined Landmark in June 1994 from the Times Mirror Newspaper Group, where he was corporate vice president-marketing. The company's statement announcing Fox's resignation did not elaborate on his reasons.
The changes were effective immediately.
John O. Wynne, Landmark's president and chief executive officer, credited Fox for ``a number of significant contributions to Landmark.'' In a prepared statement, he said Fox strengthened the company's strategic planning and bolstered the marketing, brand-development and research of several Landmark divisions. He also praised Fox's contribution to Landmark's implementation of team-based management.
In a prepared statement, Fox said that he was ``delighted with the contributions I was able to make'' to Landmark. ``I believe the changes are eminently appropriate based on the needs of the organization today,'' he said.
As part of the management changes, Landmark eliminated the position of chief operating officer. Rugaber and Patterson will report directly to Wynne, as will Michael J. Eckert, president of The Weather Channel, and Kevin D. Senie, president of The Travel Channel Networks.
Rugaber joined Landmark 17 years ago and has been publisher of The Roanoke Times for 13 years. Earlier he had been executive editor of the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record, another Landmark newspaper. He will continue to be based in Roanoke.
Patterson joined Landmark 13 years ago and has been executive vice president since 1990, a job that gives him corporate responsibility for human resources, benefits, management development and newsprint. He will continue to be based in Norfolk.
Landmark's wide-ranging media holdings also include more than 70 tri-weekly, semi-weekly, shopper and free newspapers in 12 states, The Antique Trader Weekly and interests in classified-ad and electronic publishing companies. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Walter Rugaber, left, and Donald H. Patterson Jr.
by CNB