Sun Thisweek, Tribune welcome new leadership
Two associates with combined 44 years of experience to lead Dakota County group
After general manager and editor Larry Werner announced last week that he would be moving to a new position as director of news with ECM Publishers Inc., two company associates with a combined 44 years of media industry experience will be overseeing the operations of Sun Thisweek and the Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly.
Jeff Coolman replaces Werner as the new general manager and has been busy meeting with staff in Apple Valley.
Coolman also serves as general manager of more than 30 newspaper flags operated by ECM-Sun Group, which has offices in Eden Prairie, Osseo, Waconia, Monticello and Stillwater. He also oversees a print plant in Hudson, Wis.
Coolman has been associated with Sun Newspapers since 2001 when he was hired as group publisher and vice president.
He has worked in the media industry since 1993, holding the position of publisher at the Morning Journal in Columbiana County, Ohio, and advertising director at the Battle Creek Enquirer in Michigan.
Coolman oversees a total of 36 publications with a combined circulation of nearly 375,000, including Sun Thisweek’s three publications – Apple Valley-Rosemount, Burnsville-Eagan and Farmington-Lakeville in addition to the Tribune.
Coolman will be joined by Keith Anderson, director of news for ECM-Sun Group newspapers.
Anderson has been in the newspaper business since 1987, holding reporting positions in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Winthrop, Minn.
He was hired as a county/sports reporter by The Waconia Patriot in 1989 and within one year accepted the position of editor. He accepted the title of publisher/editor in 1996 and remained in Waconia until June 2011 when he accepted the position of director of news with Sun Newspapers.
Both Coolman and Anderson noted that Sun Thisweek is led by a solid staff that has and will continue to seek ways to promote positive community relations, help business thrive and share the stories that matter most to the people of the area.
Werner was hired as the general manager and editor for Thisweek Newspapers in 2008. He played a key role in helping steer the newspaper group through a merger two months ago that brought two flags from Sun Newspapers and three Thisweek Newspapers under one heading, Sun Thisweek.
