LAKEPORT? Gregg McConnell, the publisher of the Lake County Record-Bee since March 2005, was named Tuesday as the publisher of the Vacaville Reporter, according to Steve Smith, vice president of community newspapers for the California Newspapers Partnership.
In addition to the Lake County Record-Bee, McConnell, 51, has overseen the Clear Lake Observer-American, the Penny Slaver and the Willits News. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“I have enjoyed my three years at the Record-Bee and the people I”ve worked with at Lake County Publishing and the Chamber of Commerce. I will greatly miss everyone, but the opportunity and challenges presented in Vacaville were too great to pass up,” McConnell said.
“The management team that has been assembled at the Record-Bee is very capable and talented, and I am confident that our customers, both readers and advertisers, will be well served until a suitable candidate is found to join the Record-Bee team,” he said.
Until a new publisher is named, McConnell will split his time between Vacaville and Lake County, reporting to the Lakeport office on Fridays. McConnell also said that he plans to retain his current home in Kelseyville.
“My wife will continue working here, and I will be home on weekends,” he said.
In announcing McConnell”s appointment, Smith said, “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Gregg McConnell as publisher of The (Vacaville) Reporter with additional duties as group publisher of the I-80 strategy group. His ability to assemble and lead high-performance teams that can build new revenue streams, grow product value, and provide community-minded leadership will serve our employees and the Vacaville market well.”
Melissa Fulton, the executive director of the Greater Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce, praised McConnell, saying “Gregg was a valued and active member of the board of directors. He brought leadership and energy to our Membership and Marketing Committee, and he took that committee to another level.”
“I felt like Gregg also gave the Chamber the benefit of his diverse perspectives and background experience, and he was interested in the good of the entire community. He brought a number of good ideas to the table. He will be missed,” Fulton said.
McConnell, a native of Montana, began his journalism career as a reporter and photographer in the 1970s, and then he advanced to publishing stints over the 1980s at the Daily Midway Driller in Taft and the Argus-Courier in Petaluma.
Prior to coming to Lake County, McConnell was a division manager for Sound Publishing and publisher for Skagit Valley Publishing. He also served a term as president of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA).
