Sue Clark-Johnson to Retire from Gannett

By: E&P Staff The head of Gannett's newspaper division, Sue Clark-Johnson, has announced plans to retire after a 40-year career with the country's largest newspaper company.

Clark-Johnson was named president of Gannett's newspaper division in September 2005. She is currently chairwoman of the Newspaper Association of America, a term that will expire this spring.

In a prepared statement released this morning, Clark-Johnson said: "This has been a difficult decision. I have been with Gannett for 40 years, through evolution, transformation, good times and bad. It has always been exhilarating personally and professionally. The significant changes our newspaper operations have made in just the last 18 months towards the multiple platform availability of news are extraordinary, thanks to the thousands of dedicated folks who made it happen."

Gannett Chairman, President and CEO Craig Dubow said the company is looking for her successor.

Prior to her appointment as head of the newspaper division, Clark-Johnson, 60, was chairwoman and CEO of Phoenix Newspapers.

"Gannett has provided me unlimited opportunity -- to grow, to innovate, to lead and do what I love to do," Clark-Johnson said in a statement. "I will miss my many friends in Gannett very much. I will miss the daily involvement in the news business. But, this is the right time to return to my life in the West -- to my family and community. I am greatly looking forward to the next stage of my life, which I expect to be as rewarding as the last 40 years have been."

Clark-Johnson started her career as the women's editor and family news reporter for the Press & Sun Bulletin in Binghamton, N.Y., eventually serving as publisher of that paper. She worked at the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

After Binghamton, she went to Gannett's Pacific Group as senior group president and also served as president and publisher of the Reno (N.V.) Gazette-Journal.

"I deeply respect Sue's decision, but we will miss her energy, vision, leadership and innovation," Dubow said in a statement. "Few people have had more influence over the direction, strategy, and success of our newspapers and, lately, our online news efforts.

"Most importantly, Sue is revered, respected, and honored by her employees, her peers and others in the media industry. Fortunately, we will have several more months to benefit from her knowledge and drive as we move through our transformation to a major digital enterprise."