Media executive named Herald general manager
McClatchy announced Monday it has named Todd Frantz as the general manager and vice president of advertising at the Tri-City Herald.
Frantz, of Jefferson City, Mo., will assume his new role Nov. 27.
“Todd’s market experiences, expertise in digital product offerings and tremendous sales track record will be great assets to the Tri-City Herald,” said Gary Wortel, McClatchy’s regional publisher for the West.
On Monday, the Herald will celebrate its 70th anniversary covering the Mid-Columbia.
Online, with 4.3 million average monthly page views, the Herald website leads other local news media with nearly 60 percent of the market.
Frantz succeeds Publisher Gregg McConnell, who retired in May, but takes the title of general manager, reflecting McClatchy’s move to a regional approach to managing its news outlets.
In the Northwest, McClatchy also owns The (Tacoma) News Tribune, The Olympian, The Bellingham Herald and the Idaho Statesman in Boise.
Frantz joins McClatchy from Central Missouri Newspapers (WEHCO), where he was the general manager for several news outlets and launched Flypaper Digital at the Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs, Ark.
He also worked as a general manager for Gatehouse Media in Texas and was executive advertising director for the Daily Herald in Provo Utah, where he helped launch the Utah Adventurer website. Frantz also served as president and publisher for the Auburn Journal in Auburn, Calif.
“I am honored and excited to join McClatchy and be a part of such an innovative and dynamic media company,” said Frantz. “I look forward to assuming this leadership position at the Tri-City Herald and to making a positive impact on both the organization and the community.”
“Our industry is ever-evolving as we continue to grow audience across both digital and traditional platforms,” he said.
“Our commitment to journalist excellence and providing area businesses the very best in digital and print marketing solutions will always be the cornerstones of our company no matter the platform.,” he said. “My goal is to work with our team to continue providing our audience and advertisers the high quality content and results they deserve.”
Frantz and his wife Maria and teenage daughter will be moving to the Tri-Cities by the end of the year.
His wife, who is originally from Bogota, Colombia, is an award-winning artist who specializes in fiber art. She also is a certified health and transformational coach.
McClatchy, a publicly traded company, operates 30 media companies in 14 states, including the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News & Observer, and the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram.
This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Media executive named Herald general manager."