CL names new publisher
May 29, 2008 at 10:30 am by Thomas Wheatley in Inside CLCreative Loafing has named Luann Labedz as the new publisher in Atlanta.
The company and Dave Schmall, the paper’s publisher since 2006, have parted ways, Chief Operating Officer Kirk MacDonald told the Atlanta staff Thursday morning.
“It’s not broken here, so I want to build on that,” Labedz says. “There’s a great deal of energy here.”
As publisher, Labedz will be the top manager for Creative Loafing — Atlanta, reporting directly to MacDonald. While her primary duties relate to sales and marketing, Editor Ken Edelstein and managers of other departments report to her.
Labedz joins CL after 18 years at Gannett Co., where she began her career at The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. Since 2001, she’s worked for the company in Asheville, N.C., as director of market development at the Citizen-Times, that city’s daily. In both cities, she was responsible for niche publications, product development, strategy and advertiser partnerships. During her time at Gannett, the marketing team won numerous awards from the Colorado Press Association, the International Marketing Association, the Newspaper Association of America and Gannett’s Multi-Media MAC competition.
Prior to Gannett, the Buffalo, N.Y.-native worked eight years in sales at Burroughs (now Unisys Computers) in New York City. Labedz holds an MBA from SUNY-Buffalo and earned her undergraduate degree from Oswego College.
“I like the diversity here,” she says, when asked what she enjoys about Atlanta. “The amenities that are available across the board — the nightlife, entertainment, dining. The energy and excitement of the big city. I also like the youth — with that comes a vibrancy that’s very attractive.”
When asked if she’s been given a heads-up about the city’s biggest stain, she rolls her eyes and laughs. “Yes, everyone’s warned me about the traffic.”
Labedz starts on June 2 and says she welcomes readers’ input and ideas about the paper. “I’m very excited to be here,” she says. “This is a new beginning and start for me professionally.”
Creative Loafing Inc. is based in Tampa, Fla. It operates alternative weeklies in Charlotte, Chicago, Sarasota (Fla.), Tampa and Washington, D.C., as well as Atlanta.
Send to a friend:
May 29th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Tell Luann to change her name to Bubba and she’ll blend in better.
In the meantime, our 9th District GDOT Rep, Larry Walker has been elected temporary Vice Chair of GDOT. Hopefully Acting Chair Khulke will fall in love with one of those loveable, huggable creatures at GDOT before the June election and us Mid-Ga Boys can show y’all ATL traffic creepers how to move some traffic.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
News from Bibb returns!