Karen Ferguson, president and publisher of The Indianapolis Star, has been promoted to become one of three group presidents for Gannett’s U.S. Community Publishing division.
Ferguson will continue to be publisher of The Star and the top executive overseeing other Gannett properties in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and she will remain in Indianapolis, according to Star Media. In her expanded role, she also will oversee operations in California, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.
Ferguson has been publisher and president of Star Media since 2010 and oversaw moving its offices from Pennsylvania Street to its new home in Circle Centre mall.
She began her Gannett career 20 years ago as a circulation sales manager for The Tennessean/Nashville Banner and has held several positions since then for Gannett.
In 2003, she became director of business development at Republic Media in Phoenix and rose to the position of senior vice president for advertising and strategic planning there, while also assuming leadership for print and digital advertising sales.
In her new role, she succeeds John Zidich, who was recently promoted to president of domestic publishing for Gannett.
Ferguson joins two other group presidents: former Star Media publisher Michael Kane, whose duties include president and publisher of the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, and
Laura Hollingsworth, whose duties include president and publisher of The Tennessean in Nashville.
