NEW TORONTO STAR EDITOR FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD POSITION

The Toronto Star has named Irene Gentle as its new editor, the first woman to hold the job. Gentle replaces Michael Cooke, who announced earlier this year that he would be retiring in June. She has been the Star’s managing editor since June 2016. The promotion is effective immediately. Gentle, pictured, joined the Star in 2011 as business editor and was named assistant managing editor and city editor in 2012. Before the Star, she worked at the Hamilton Spectator. “(Gentle’s) strong editing background and exceptional newsroom leadership skills are obvious to everyone in the company,” John Boynton, president and CEO of Torstar Corp. and publisher of the Toronto Star, said. “She has also a deep understanding and commitment to the transformation initiative now underway across our company.”