By Howard Greninger
TERRE HAUTE — John W. McClure has been named advertising director for the Tribune-Star, where he will oversee a staff of 24 people in both advertising and production.
McClure, 42, most recently worked for the Journal Community Publishing Group in Waupaca, Wis., which publishes 48 newspapers in Florida and Wisconsin. He had previously worked for Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., which owns the Tribune-Star, from 1996 to 2001.
“I wanted to get back to Indiana. I have a lot of family and close friends here, so it is nice to come back to Indiana with this opportunity here,” McClure said.
“My goals are to come up with good, solid advertising promotions and packages for area businesses that will help them affordably grow their business and to introduce some new marketing ideas, both in print and digital, in the community. Also, work to develop the staff and make them the best they can be out in the field,” he said.
McClure is a native of Logansport and graduated from Indiana University in 1990 with a degree in journalism with an emphasis on advertising. He met Sara, his wife of 19 years, at IU. The couple have two daughters, Tayler, 18, and Hannah, 12.
McClure officially started at the Tribune-Star on Oct. 29, replacing Robert Miller.
Tribune-Star Publisher B.J. Riley said CNHI is a “completely different company than it was during the time [McClure] was there. The company is more mature. At the time he was there, the focus was on acquisitions, and now the focus is on operations.”
Riley said when McClure left CNHI to work for Boone Newspapers Inc., from 2001 to 2004, in Minnesota, McClure “really learned financial management of an advertising department; how to balance the revenue operation and make sure he was efficient,” Riley said.
“In Wisconsin, he was over a large, scattered organization and he was really proficient at product development there, which was a real draw to me with what our plans are here at the Tribune-Star. He is a good fit personality-wise and will fit in as a team member and as a leader,” Riley said.
“He plans to be a part of the community. This isn’t just about selling advertising, but this has to be our home town and he is going to make this his home town because he is from Indiana,” Riley said.
Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. is a privately owned company based in Birmingham, Ala., that owns 140 daily, weekly and semi-weekly newspapers and four television stations.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com
