Benson Promoted to Orlando Ops VP

By: E&P Staff Orlando Sentinel Production Manager Kelly Benson was prmoted to operations vice president at Orlando Sentinel Communications, effective today. Benson will oversee production and packaging operations of the daily Sentinel, the weekly El Sentinel, and several other publications.

Citing her "technical and product knowledge" and "business acumen," Orlando Sentinel Communications Senior Vice President and General Manager Avido Khahaifa said operations under Benson improved productivity, devised cost-saving innovations, and opened "additional production windows for new advertising products." (Appointed at Orlando Sentinel Communications three weeks ago, Khahaifa is a former executive with South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Forum Publishing Group, both of which, like Sentinel, are Tribune Co. units.)

Benson joined the Sentinel as production manager in 2000. In the 1990s, she held various positions with The Washington Post, serving as plant manager at the Southeast and College Park facilities and project manager for construction of the College Park Plant. Benson earlier held production positions at The Oakland Tribune and Philadelphia Inquirer after working as an industrial engineer for Siemens and General Motors.

An International Newspaper Group vice president and director, Benson's community involvement includes work as a public schools reading mentor (she also co-chairs the Sentinel's Reading by Nine project team, which received the Scripps-Howard Distinguished Literacy award in 2002), women's management group mentor, and board member of the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.