'San Jose Mercury News' VP Jeff Kiel Appointed Publisher

By: Joe Strupp The San Jose Mercury News selected Jeff Kiel, the paper's vice president of advertising, as its new publisher and announced it this afternoon.

Kiel will take over for George Riggs, who has held the post along with the title of president and CEO of the California Newspaper Partnership, a division of MediaNews Group. Riggs is expected to retain his other position, which oversees operations of most of MediaNews' California newspapers.

Kiel, appointed Mercury News vice president of advertising in 2002, had previously been vice president of finance and chief financial officer of The Miami Herald. Prior to joining the newspaper chain, he worked for the accounting firm of Ernst & Young.

"He's a great guy, it is a well-deserved promotion," said John Armstrong, president and publisher of the Bay Area Newspaper Group/East Bay, which includes nearly a dozen MediaNews properties, including The Oakland Tribune. "He knows the market, knows the staff. He's the logical successor to George."

The press release issued this afternoon follows.

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California Newspapers Partnership (CNP) today announced that Jeff Kiel has been appointed as publisher of the San Jose Mercury News. George Riggs, President and CEO of CNP and current Publisher of the San Jose Mercury News announced the appointment.

Kiel, 48, joined the Mercury News as vice president of advertising in February of 2002.

Before working at the Mercury News Kiel was chief financial officer at The Miami Herald and on the Knight Ridder corporate staff. Prior to that Kiel was a certified public accountant in the accounting firms of Kaufman, Rossin and Company and Ernst & Young. He is a graduate of the University of Florida.

?We are fortunate to be able to place someone of Jeff?s caliber and experience in the San Jose Mercury News publisher?s position,? said Riggs. ?Jeff has a strong track record in the newspaper business and already knows most of the local business community leaders throughout Silicon Valley and San Jose,? Riggs added.

Jeff and his wife, Gayle, have two children, Ryan, aged 20 and Alexa, aged 16.

California Newspapers Partnership (CNP), owned by MediaNews Group, Gannett and Stephens Media, is the largest publisher of daily newspapers in California, with a combined daily circulation of more than 900,000. CNP publishes 34 daily newspapers and 57 weeklies in California. Its newspapers include: the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times and Oakland Tribune, in the Bay Area. Media News publishes the Los Angeles Daily News and the Long Beach Press Telegram in Southern CA.