November Newsmakers
(From left to right)
DONNI BRYANT
Stephenville Empire-Tribune
Donni Bryant joined the editorial staff of the Stephenville Empire-Tribune in October. She handles anniversary, wedding and birth announcements as well as items for the community calendar. She also writes feature stories for the Sunday Lifestyles section and news.
Bryant is a longtime member of the Stephenville community. She taught in the Stephenville Independent School District for more than 20 years.
Bryant is a graduate of Tarleton State University.
She and her husband, Tommy, have one son, Thom Allen.
BEAU SAULS
Glen Rose Reporter
Beau Sauls will join the Glen Rose Reporter this month as sports editor. He will continue to serve as a sports writer for the Stephenville Empire-Tribune.
Sauls grew up in New Berlin and is a graduate of Marion High School and Tarleton State University.
He has written for the sports section of the Lone Star Telegram; was student station manager of KURT 100.7; sports director of KTRL 90.5; anchor, news director, producer and reporter for the Texan TV News; and designer for the Longhorn Drover magazine.
JOHN VERSER
The Port Lavaca Wave
John Verser returned to The Port Lavaca Wave as managing editor in September.
An Arkansas native, Verser first joined the Wave in April 2009 as managing editor. He left The Wave in August 2010 to attend seminary.
After two academic terms, Verser returned to the newspaper industry as the editor of The Lake Gazette in Monroe City, Mo. He remained at the The Gazette until his first day back at The Wave.
Verser succeeds DD Turner, who is now director of creative services.
DD TURNER
The Port Lavaca Wave
DD Turner was named director of creative services for The Port Lavaca Wave in September. She oversees the production of ads for The Wave’s two weekly publications, the Calhoun County Wave Extra and special sections.
An Ingleside native, Turner first joined The Wave in March as managing editor. She previously worked for The Marshall News Messenger for nine years, first as the night editor and then as managing editor. She also served as managing editor for The Big Spring Herald and has worked for several other Texas newspapers.
CLAY CORBETT
Gainesville Daily Register
Clay Corbett joined the Gainesville Daily Register in October as sports editor.
Corbett is a 1995 graduate of Callisburg High School. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas in 2000.
He has worked on a part-time basis for KGAF radio (now Memories 1580) since 1996 and was also sports director for KLBC radio in Durant from 2001 to 2002.
Corbett and his wife, Kelly, also owned The Lindsay Letter for three years before selling the paper in 2010.
DEBBIE HIOTT
Austin American-Statesman
Debbie Hiott was named editor of the Austin American-Statesman in November. She has been serving as interim editor since Fred Zipp resigned in September.
Hiott began her career at the American-Statesman as a reporting intern while attending Southwest Texas State University.
During her 20 years at the paper, she has served in suburban and city reporting roles and in editing positions as state editor, metro editor and assistant managing editor. Hiott was promoted to managing editor in June 2008.
MICHAEL J. MURRAY
Alice Echo-News Journal
Michael J. Murray was named publisher in November of the Alice Echo-News Journal, an American Consolidated Media-owned paper. He will oversee the Alice newspaper and its sister papers: the Freer Press, the Duval County Press and the Nueces County Record Star.
Murray, a veteran media executive, has served in the publishing industry for more than 40 years. Before joining the Echo-News Journal, he was managing partner for a strategic development firm consulting on budgeting and cost-containment projects.
BARB AMRHEIN
The Moore County News-Press
Barb Amrhein joined The Moore County News-Press as sports editor in October.
A longtime sports enthusiast, Amrhein has played competitive sports since age 4 when she participated in her first swim meet. In high school she played basketball, volleyball and water polo and swam and ran. She also ran cross country during college.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, Amrhein was a speech and theater teacher and is also a certified junior high science teacher. She has six years of experience coaching various sports. |
