OPERATIONS

ING honors six operations professionals

2022 Operations All-stars shine bright

It’s time again to honor North America’s top talent in news publishing operations and logistics. These critical and often unsung contributors have taken on more and more over the years, most recently distinguishing themselves during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, supplychain challenges coupled with price pressure and a shrinking workforce.

Operations All-stars is a joint project between E&P and the International Newspaper Group (ING). For this year, 25 newspapers sent in 27 nominations. ING board members served as judges.

“From Forrest City, Arkansas, to North Andover to Chicago, with countless years of taking on more, engaging others and creating an environment of success through what has been some of the most difficult headwinds in our industry, these three leaders were unanimously recognized in their category because that is who they are, Operations All-stars!” said Brian Karnick, Tribune Publishing

SVP of manufacturing and distribution and ING board member who managed the Operations All-stars project. “Congratulations and thank you to Teresa Mccrary, Christine Wilt and Catherine Holt-gulley, as well as all those nominated for the Operations All-star awards.”

This year’s winners received a $2,000 prize and a trip to the ING conference in Newport, Rhode Island, September 17–18, including airfare and hotel. They also got trophies acknowledging their superior performance. “We plan to build this program even more next year, giving these superstars the recognition that they deserve,” said Tom Loesch, owner of impressions worldwide, a provider of newspaper and commercial presses, who worked on the marketing side of this effort.

Operations is the heart and soul of our industry. The pros working in operations not only understand every department’s mechanics (beyond presses and equipment), they often contribute new thinking and concepts to help uncover profitability.

Below are the highlights from the nominations for the winners and runners-up.