Gene Carr Out at American Community Newspapers

Gene Carr, who headed American Community Newspapers (ACN) as it expanded aggressively and then was forced into bankruptcy, is out as president and CEO, effectively immediately, the company announced late Friday.

Plano-based ACN, which emerged from bankruptcy last year under the ownership of its senior lenders, said Carr resigned.

Two industry veterans -- Dick Francis and Frank Shepherd -- will run the publisher of 86 newspapers while the board searches for a full-time replacement for Carr, ACN said.

Francis was named interim CEO, with responsibilities for all day-to-day operations, while Shepard “will work directly with the Minnesota and Northern Virginia newspaper clusters,” ACN said. Both are current members of ACN's board of directors.

From 2005 to 2007, Franks served as president and publisher of The Eagle Tribune Companies, where he had served as CEO, executive vice president and COO beginning in 2001. He was a founder of Westward Communications.

Shepherd is retired and is a media consultant. He most recently was founder, chairman and CEO of 21st Century Newspapers Inc.

His career included executive positions at Panax Corp., Morris Newspapers, E.W. Scripps and Stauffer Communications.