Winchester Sun Publisher Scott Schurz announced last week that John Nelson has taken over supervision of the Winchester Sun newsroom effective Aug. 22. He succeeds Randy Patrick, who held the managing editor position since 2005.
Nelson is executive editor of Advocate Communications Inc., comprised of four newspapers in central Kentucky: The Advocate-Messenger of Danville, The Jessamine Journal of Nicholasville, The Interior Journal of Stanford and the Sun. He joined the company in 1997 and soon after became managing editor of the Danville newspaper.
Advocate Communications Inc. is a division of Schurz Communications Inc., which purchased the Sun in 2005. The four papers in the group have a combined circulation of around 25,000 in central Kentucky.
The announcement was made Aug. 19 by Schurz in meetings with the Sun’s managers and employees, and also in an email.
“We recently announced a change of leadership in the Sun's newsroom consistent with our focus on customers. We continue to put our resources into local coverage and consultative sales while restructuring at a managerial level,” Schurz said. “I have had the pleasure of working with John Nelson for close to seven years and know the kind of impact he can have on a newsroom, publication and community. In addition, you will not find someone more dedicated to having a positive impact through good journalism or a bigger First Amendment advocate.”
Nelson, 59, and his wife Mary Jane live in Boyle County. They have two children, Patrick and Julie, and three grandchildren Matthew, 5, and twins John Parker and Piper Ann, six weeks.
Nelson will be splitting his time between the Advocate-Messenger and the Sun.
Before joining SCI, Nelson was part owner, editor and publisher of Pulaski Week, a weekly in Somerset, for 10 years. He also served as editor of the Citizen Voice & Times in Estill County in 1986-87, a position he also held in the 70s, and he served as safety director for South East Coal Company for 11 years.
Nelson is a member and has held leadership positions in many state organizations as well as many organizations in the communities where he has lived and worked. He has served as president of the board of directors of the Kentucky Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists, Bluegrass Pro Chapter, and is on the Alumni Advisory Board of the Eastern Kentucky University Department of Communications and the Eastern Progress Advisory Board at EKU.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Eastern Kentucky University.
Schurz said Nelson’s experience and leadership would be a good fit for the Sun and the community.
“John is widely respected within the industry and around the state,” Schurz said. “He is absolutely the right person to lead the Sun’s newsroom going forward.”
Nelson is executive editor of Advocate Communications Inc., comprised of four newspapers in central Kentucky: The Advocate-Messenger of Danville, The Jessamine Journal of Nicholasville, The Interior Journal of Stanford and the Sun. He joined the company in 1997 and soon after became managing editor of the Danville newspaper.
Advocate Communications Inc. is a division of Schurz Communications Inc., which purchased the Sun in 2005. The four papers in the group have a combined circulation of around 25,000 in central Kentucky.
The announcement was made Aug. 19 by Schurz in meetings with the Sun’s managers and employees, and also in an email.
“We recently announced a change of leadership in the Sun's newsroom consistent with our focus on customers. We continue to put our resources into local coverage and consultative sales while restructuring at a managerial level,” Schurz said. “I have had the pleasure of working with John Nelson for close to seven years and know the kind of impact he can have on a newsroom, publication and community. In addition, you will not find someone more dedicated to having a positive impact through good journalism or a bigger First Amendment advocate.”
Nelson, 59, and his wife Mary Jane live in Boyle County. They have two children, Patrick and Julie, and three grandchildren Matthew, 5, and twins John Parker and Piper Ann, six weeks.
Nelson will be splitting his time between the Advocate-Messenger and the Sun.
Before joining SCI, Nelson was part owner, editor and publisher of Pulaski Week, a weekly in Somerset, for 10 years. He also served as editor of the Citizen Voice & Times in Estill County in 1986-87, a position he also held in the 70s, and he served as safety director for South East Coal Company for 11 years.
Nelson is a member and has held leadership positions in many state organizations as well as many organizations in the communities where he has lived and worked. He has served as president of the board of directors of the Kentucky Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists, Bluegrass Pro Chapter, and is on the Alumni Advisory Board of the Eastern Kentucky University Department of Communications and the Eastern Progress Advisory Board at EKU.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Eastern Kentucky University.
Schurz said Nelson’s experience and leadership would be a good fit for the Sun and the community.
“John is widely respected within the industry and around the state,” Schurz said. “He is absolutely the right person to lead the Sun’s newsroom going forward.”
