Letter From the Chronicle’s New Publisher

I started at the Chronicle in 1998 selling classified ads, so you can say I grew up here. I think I’ve had four or five title changes since then; my most recent – effective Feb. 20 – is publisher. When I asked Nick Barbaro – our publisher for the past 43 years – if he wanted to write this letter to our readers, he simply told me he’s now retired. My job now I suppose.

My experience has been largely on the revenue side, though I’ve spent the past few years as associate publisher, getting ready for the job. I know to let the folks who know more than me – about news reporting, production design, and so on – continue to do their thing.

I steer clear of the newsroom’s editorial waters, but I’m grateful for Kimberley, who has assembled an amazing team. They’re driven by a singular passion: to tell stories that matter. I’ve never laid out an issue or designed an ad in my life, but I’m grateful to Zeke and his production department for all the collaboration over the years – especially when I vaguely know what I want but can’t quite articulate it in a way that’s useful to any designer. Digital marketing wasn’t even a concept when I was in college, but Sarah and Cassie are always there to push me when it comes to how we share our voice and connect with our audience. Trace and the sales team are my personal office taproots. Brandon is a savant. Dan & I are from the same place. Carol, Erin, Karen, Jason, Nitz, Mike...

Yeah, I could keep going.

After 26 years, I’ve learned to surround myself with talented, dedicated people and work to cultivate the most sustainable, fostering environment for them I can. That’s some of the job.

The rest is to be indefatigably loyal to our readers and our mission.

Nick is still president, although he says that word is somewhat tarnished now. I suspect he’ll be around; I doubt he would miss the 4/20 party I’m planning. (Details to come.) Soon after Nick made his retirement announcement to staff, Trump went full trade war, which could impact the cost of newsprint – not just for us, but for papers around the country. (News Editor Maggie Quinlan wrote some about that in last week’s issue.) Processing the news, Nick and I sat in my office talking through what higher printing costs would mean and how we could adapt. We talked about hiring a development/donor coordinator, a role that is becoming essential at papers like ours that rely on donor support to sustain their progressive journalism. After so much contraction, it feels good to discuss expanding staff again. See the job description at austinchronicle.com/jobs.

Those kinds of conversations will continue and are needed. On Mondays and Fridays, when most of the staff works remotely, Nick and I are often the only ones in the office. I value this time together, him patiently listening to my stream of consciousness about his paper. He’s the most unconventional boss you could ever have, and I’d fight anyone else who said it.

I have immense hope for the future of the Chronicle. We have no cold, timid souls here. Everyone on staff is in the arena with me. I’m both proud and humble to lead this team and to take the helm of such a vital voice in the community – now, more than ever – and as I told Nick, I won’t let you down.