Gannett promotes Stegman to national job
He’ll direct company’s grocery operations
Chris Stegman, Gannett Co. Inc.’s top business executive in Wisconsin, has been promoted to national vice president of grocery for the company.
In his new role, Stegman, who came to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as president in summer of 2016, will oversee the grocery category for Gannett, focused primarily on advertising and marketing opportunities with the larger supermarket chains in the U.S.
Stegman also will be looking at innovation in the grocery business and working with the Gannett product team to address change in the industry.
“Chris is looked at in our organization as being the most familiar, the most expert in this vertical,” Eddie Tyner, regional president-metro Midwest for Gannett and the USA TODAY NETWORK, said Monday.
Tyner said Milwaukee and Wisconsin are key markets for Gannett, and a search for a successor for Stegman will be thorough.
“Wisconsin is one of the most important markets for Gannett,” Tyner said. “So we take very seriously the effort we put into finding the right person to replace Chris. We’ll want someone in this role who will care about the community and get involved in and stay active in the community.”
Tyner said the new executive will be “a leader in the building and outside the building.”
In addition to serving as president of the Journal Sentinel, Stegman took on leadership duties for all Wisconsin newspapers owned by Gannett, including 10 newspapers in northeast and central Wisconsin, last fall.
Stegman, who came to Milwaukee from a leadership position with Gannett in Phoenix, said Monday, “I have loved being a part of this organization.”
“The culture in this city is unbelievable,” said Stegman.
Stegman succeeded Elizabeth “Betsy” Brenner, who retired in 2016 after more than 11 years leading the Journal Sentinel.
“Chris Stegman has been an excellent partner, with great respect for the importance of top-rate, independent news reporting to our community and state,” said George Stanley, editor of the Journal Sentinel and USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. “I’m happy he’s getting this national sales opportunity and I am confident the USA TODAY NETWORK will find another outstanding business leader for Wisconsin.”
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin includes the leading news organizations in 11 cities: Milwaukee, Green Bay, Appleton, Wausau, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Stevens Point, Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids.
McLean, Va.-based Gannett owns the USA TODAY NETWORK, made up of USA TODAY and 109 media organizations in 34 states in the U.S. and Guam, including digital sites and affiliates.