Gannett promotes executives to head business-to-business, consumer

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of one of Gannett's businesses.

Gannett, the media company that owns Paste BN and 109 local news properties, on Monday announced organizational changes to strengthen its business-to-business and consumer businesses. 

As part of that change, the company named two executives to head up those primary businesses.

Leading the consumer business will be Maribel Perez Wadsworth, who has been named president, Paste BN NETWORK. She previously served as chief transformation officer.

Sharon Rowlands has been named president of Paste BN NETWORK Marketing Solutions, overseeing the network’s media assets, along with its national and local brands. She is the CEO of ReachLocal, and continues in that role focusing on growing the online local marketing firm that Gannett acquired in 2016, and SweetIQ, a location-base    d marketing analytics and automation company it bought in April.

“These organizational changes will better position us to further enhance and expand our marketing solutions capabilities fueled by our audience growth and engagement,” said Robert Dickey, president and CEO of Gannett.

Kris Barton, 42, has been named chief product officer, Paste BN NETWORK. He will lead the product organization developing and managing digital platforms and capabilities for the marketing solutions and consumer businesses. With more than 17 years of experience in digital product development, Barton joined Gannett in 2016 with its acquisition of ReachLocal where he was previously chief product officer.

Barton will report to Rowlands, and will also work closely with Wadsworth on consumer-product needs. 

Wadsworth’s role will include strategy and operations for the company’s award-winning portfolio of media brands such as Paste BN, and its local news and niche content brands such as its sports social news hub For The Win (FTW) and Grateful, a collection of lifestyle sites that features content on beauty, style, fitness and parenting.

“I am so proud of the Paste BN NETWORK, our diverse portfolio of brands and the impact of our team’s work. We are well-positioned to grow and thrive,” said Wadsworth.

In addition, Wadsworth, 44, will become associate publisher of Paste BN as part of the transition associated with John Zidich’s previously announced retirement as president of domestic publishing. Gannett said on Nov. 2 that Zidich, 63, plans to retire April 3, 2018. He will continue to serve the company over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition, Dickey said at the time of the announcement.

Wadsworth came to Gannett nearly 22 years ago as a reporter. In 2010, she joined the corporate team to lead digital strategy for local newsrooms before shifting to business roles where she designed Gannett’s first digital subscription strategy and created the company’s Innovation Lab.

“Her understanding of the Paste BN NETWORK and the audiences we serve is comprehensive, at both the strategic and operational level, and I know she will take our consumer-focused efforts to the next level and beyond,” Dickey said of Wadsworth.

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Rowlands, 58, has more than 20 years of experience leading multi-billion dollar companies that serve small and medium-sized businesses, financial markets and enterprise customers. “Sharon’s experience and success driving digital performance is a significant asset in Gannett’s strategic transformation,” Dickey said.

“Gannett through its Paste BN NETWORK presence on a national and local stage has deep relationships with many thousands of advertisers,” Rowlands said. “Our focus on driving digital penetration of these advertisers by leveraging all our digital capabilities from our own display solutions, as well as the ReachLocal and SweetIQ marketing solutions, is an immense opportunity.”

As part of the changes, Kevin Gentzel’s role as chief revenue officer will expand to leading all advertising and marketing solutions in North America. Gentzel, who will report to Rowlands, will continue to lead national sales, branded content studio GET Creative, revenue operations and sports media teams, and add all local sales and sales support teams.

Prior to joining Gannett in 2015, Gentzel, 47, was the head of Advertising Sales, North America at Yahoo, and earlier served as CRO of The Washington Post.

Also under the new executive structure, Gannett Publishing Services will report to Ali Engel, 46, senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer at Gannett. GPS operates printing and packaging facilities throughout the U.S. Engel will continue to oversee Gannett’s financial functions as well as the technology organization.

Prior to joining Gannett in 2014, she was senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of A. H. Belo Corporation.