In this new role, LaBonia will direct a sales team focused on the top 100 multi-market retail and national accounts and agencies. His base of operations will be out of the Houston offices and he will report jointly to Houston Chronicle president John T. O’Loughlin, San Francisco Chronicle executive vice president of advertising Jeff Bergin and Express-News executive vice president of advertising Ray McCutcheon.
LaBonia’s previous posts include SVP of advertising at the San Francisco Chronicle, SVP of sales and strategic development at the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune and vice president at the (Ft. Lauderdale) Sun Sentinel. He began his career in television at Tribune Company, where he managed WGNO-TV, the ABC affiliate in New Orleans.