Ex-New Mexico resident to lead Oklahoma City daily

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoman has hired Seattle Times managing editor Ray Rivera to be its executive editor.

The Oklahoma City daily reported Rivera’s appointment was announced Thursday. He also will serve as regional editor of other Gannett-owned USA Today Network’s publications in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico.

The El Paso native grew up in Raton and began his career as a part-time sportswriter at the Carlsbad Current-Argus. He went on to work as a reporter at the Santa Fe New Mexican, Salt Lake Tribune, Seattle Times, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

After returning to Seattle, Rivera helped lead the Times’ coverage of systemic problems with Boeing’s 737 Max that led to two crashes and 346 deaths. The coverage won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting along with the George Polk, Gerald Loeb and other awards.

Rivera will assume his new duties Feb. 22. He succeeds Kelly Dyer Fry, who retired at the end of last year.