By Tyler Maheu
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — The Eagle Times today announced the hiring of Mr. Kevin Brown as its General Manager.
Brown, who was born and raised in Des Moine, Iowa, was graduated from Iowa State University in 1982, earning degrees in accounting and journalism. A professional journalist for 37 years, he spent the last four years as Sales Manager at an RV Dealership in Robertsdale, Alabama. “Ink flows through my veins and I wanted to get back into the industry I love, in a community where I can make a difference,” Brown said of his return to journalism. He said a unique opportunity led him to try his hand at something new, explaining is foray into RV sales.
When asked what brought him to the Eagle, Brown pointed to the vision of its new ownership. “The new owner and leadership has an excellent vision for the place of small newspapers and their importance in communities. They are looking to expand our print, social media and multimedia presence.” He continued, “The new ownership is reinvesting in many of the paper’s physical and content areas. The result will be a much more engaged and hyperlocal product to better serve the needs of our neighbors. These opportunities are tough to find.”
Known in the industry as a revenue producer, he states that he has historically gotten boots on the ground in communities he is serving, listening to people’s needs and wants to create interactive and community centered products. “I believe in creating products that are a win/win/win; good for the community, good for the readership, and good for us as a newspaper.”
In his free time, he is a self-professed avid car lover, owning 63 cars that are housed in a former dairy barn in Iowa. “What I plan to do with these is anyone’s guess,’ he quipped.
Brown, whose official start date was Monday, February 27, credits Century21’s Roz Caplan on helping his transition to the Northeast, as he was able to find an apartment before arriving in town.
At the Eagle Times, he hopes to create special sections that focus on special community events such as proms, anniversaries, etc. and will, “listen to the community to create local-driven editorial content.”
Richard Girard, Executive Vice President of Sunshine Communications, which owns and publishes the Eagle Times, welcomed Brown to the team. “Kevin’s significant experience as someone who’s not only worked in a variety of capacities for newspapers but has also owned them is a perfect fit for the Eagle Times. “He’s an answer to our prayers. In just a few days, he’s made a tremendous difference in how we operate. He gets our vision of refocusing and reinventing the Eagle Times as a community focused, multi-modal communications platform. With his leadership and expertise, I have every confidence we’ll get there.”
Girard also said the Eagle Times, which has recently hired Sydney McAllister in composing department and Meaghan Breen as a health and education feature writer and copy editor}, is actively seeking people for positions in sales, administration, circulation and what it’s calling “community journalism.” Interested parties should email a resume and cover letter to Brown at [email protected] or call the office at 603-543-3100.
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