New York--Hearst Corp. has announced new leadership appointments at its leading Texas newspaper the Houston Chronicle.

Jack Sweeney has been named chairman of the Houston Chronicle. Sweeney was president and publisher of the Chronicle since 2000. Sweeney becomes chairman of the Chronicle after more than 11 years as president and publisher and more than 30 years with the paper. He first joined the Chronicle as advertising director in 1980 and was promoted to director of sales and marketing in 1983, vice president of sales and marketing in 1986, and vice president and general manager in 1991. Sweeney was named president and associate publisher in 1998 and publisher in 2000. Sweeney is an active participant in the Newspaper Association of America, having served as a member of the organization's board of directors and executive committee. He is also a board member of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association.

Thomas A. Stephenson has been named publisher of the Chronicle, joining the Houston paper from the San Antonio Express-News where he was president and publisher. In his new role, Stephenson will have operating responsibility for the Houston daily as well as Hearst’s Texas community papers. In San Antonio, he was president and publisher of the paper since 2005 and, before that, executive vice president and general manager. Stephenson joined the Express-News in March 1997 as senior vice president of operations and administration following a 22-year career with Knight-Ridder Newspapers.

John T. O’Loughlin has joined as president of the Chronicle from the Los Angeles Times Media Group, where most recently he was chief revenue officer and executive vice president of advertising and marketing since 2009. As president of the Chronicle, O’Loughlin will focus on the revenue and marketing operations of the paper, in addition to new product development. He comes to Hearst after more than 20 years with Tribune Co. Prior to six years with Tribune in Los Angeles, O’Loughlin was at Chicago Tribune for 15 years, finally as publisher and general manager of RedEye.