Metzger Named Publisher of Second Indiana Newspaper

By: Juli Metzger, president and publisher of The Star Press in Muncie, is taking on additional duties as chief executive at the Palladium-Item with the retirement of Bob Robbins.

Robbins will retire as president and publisher effective Nov. 30. A native of Richmond and longtime Gannett Co. Inc. executive, he plans to stay in his hometown.

The announcement of Robbins' retirement and Metzger's appointment was made Tuesday by Gary Suisman, group vice president of Gannett's Interstate Group and president and publisher of the Journal & Courier in Lafayette.

In addition to Metzger's appointment, Suisman announced that Mickey Johnson, executive editor of the Palladium-Item since 2006, also will serve as general manager and oversee the day-to-day operations of the paper.

Robbins started his newspaper career at the Palladium-Item in 1969 as an accounting clerk, later worked at the newspaper in data processing and eventually became accounting manager.

He was controller of the Chronicle-Tribune in Marion from 1977 to 1984 and went on to hold publisher positions at Gannett newspapers, including Hattiesburg and Jackson, both in Mississippi, and Bellingham, Wash. He served as vice president of Gannett's Central Wisconsin group and came to Richmond this year after serving as president and publisher of The Advocate in Newark, Ohio, and president of the Newspaper Network of Central Ohio.