Betty J. Ramsey, 61

Regional publisher, Farmville Newsmedia, LLC; Suffolk Publications, LLC and Tidewater, LLC, Farmville and Suffolk, VA First journalism job: Advertising director What are some of the most important lessons you have learned working in the news industry?

I started on the advertising side of the house, where success meant you had to listen to your customers, use what you heard to determine their needs, and then use that information to provide them with solutions. It was a win for customers, the paper and me. When I moved to the news and management side of the house, the greatest lesson I learned was that the same principles applied. Listen to people in the community you serve, and listen to all your staff – from the front to the back of the house. Determining the needs and wants of your community and finding solutions is a team effort. Do it right, and everyone wins. What are your predictions for the future of news publishing?

The billion-dollar question! Seriously, for community media companies like ours, content will continue to be hyper-relevant to the communities we serve. Engaging our audience both online and in print is the path forward. But, of course, our readers’ wants and needs will most certainly change, and when they do, so will we. We are listening.