Creators Syndicate Names 3 New Vice Presidents, Ops Manager

By: E&P Staff Creators Syndicate has named three new vice presidents and an operations manager.

Marianne Sugawara will be vice president of operations, Melissa Lin vice president of business affairs, and Kathy Kei vice president and editorial director. Andrea Fryrear is the new operations manager.

"We have an incredibly strong staff, and I felt it was time to acknowledge the contributions of some of the key employees," Rick Newcombe, president and founder of Creators, said in a statement. "I want our corporate structure to reflect the executive responsibilities that these employees have already assumed."

Sugawara joined Creators in 1989, and most recently served as executive assistant to the president and head of international syndication.

Lin came to the syndicate in 1992, and has served as accounting manager and business manager.

Kei joined Creators in 1999. In addition to editing, she's in charge of coordinating editorial schedules and helping to select columns and comics for future syndication.

Fryrear started with Creators this February, and worked with Christina Lee, who resigned recently.

Creators represents more than 100 features -- including editorial cartoons by Mike Luckovich, Steve Kelley and Chip Bok; Op-Ed columns by Bill O'Reilly, Robert Novak, and Molly Ivins; the "Annie's Mailbox" advice column; and comics such as "B.C.," "The Wizard of Id," and "Speed Bump."