The Austin Business Journal has added a staff reporter and shifted responsibilities of two other staff reporters.

Jenny Robertson joins the staff to cover three new full-time beats — residential real estate, higher education and nonprofits.

With Robertson’s arrival, Chantal Outon officially switches from covering news for the online edition of the Journal to reporting on advertising, marketing, public relations, film, music, media and hospitality/tourism.

Giselle Greenwood recently moved from reporting on regional news to covering high tech, banking and finance, and transportation.

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Philip Billnitzer, the former managing editor of the Bandera Bulletin, is the new managing editor of the North San Antonio Times, a weekly publication of Prime Time Newspapers Inc.

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Tracy Bouchier joined the De Leon Free Press as a reporter and photographer. Bouchier replaced Sonja Otwell. Bouchier’s father published the DeLeon’s Monitor.

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Kurt Castner took the reins as the newest full-time reporter for the Leader News in Lytle. Castner replaced Shauna Lewis, who was promoted from reporter to managing editor in late January.

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The Corsicana Daily Sun has two new reporters.

Both veteran journalists Daun Eierdam and recent college graduate Donell Williams started in late March.

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Brigitte Cummings left as editor of the Mansfield News-Mirror after three years to switch radio and become a news director at KRLD-1080 AM in Fort Worth.

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Gerry L. Dickert joined The Silsbee Bee as managing editor. Dickert replaces Dwayne Davis who left to pursue a position at a church in Mauriceville. Dickert comes to The Bee as he celebrates his 21st year as a journalist in Southeast Texas, including several years working for The Beaumont Enterprise.

On June 12 Dickert will marry Sheila McKinney, a registered nurse who works at Texas Home Health in Silsbee.

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Gary Dinges, editor of the Lake Travis View, received the Texas State Teachers Association’s 2005 School Bell Award during an April 15 ceremony in Austin. The statewide contest honors journalists for outstanding education coverage.

Dinges was cited for a portfolio of columns, photographs and stories focusing on the Lake Travis Independent School District. The View was the only paid weekly newspaper recognized in the contest.

The Eagle in Bryan was cited for editorials by Robert Borden, Ray Wilkerson and Donnis Baggett and for news coverage by Holly Huffman. The Plano Star Courier’s Brenda Bernet was honored for reporting.

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Bob Freer has been named editor/publisher of the free weekly North Lake Travis Log, which is part of Austin Community Newspapers. He replaces Keith Tooley, who accepted a team leader position at an Austin-area church.

J. Michael Parker was named news editor at the Log.

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The Headliners Foundation in Austin announced its annual journalism award winners:

Tim Eaton, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Star Reporter of the Year;

Scott Brunner, Marshall News-Messenger, Star Photojournalist of the Year;

Michael Currie, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Star Designer of the Year;

Jeff Claassen, Scott Streater and Seth Borenstein, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Star Investigative Report of the Year;

The Dallas Morning News staff, Star Breaking News Report of the Year.

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Debbie Hiott will add the Austin American-Statesman’s nation and world reports to her duties with her promotion to assistant managing editor. She joined the American-Statesman as a part-time time reporter in 1990.

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Rita Hooker joined the DeKalb News and Bowie County Citizens Tribune as a new reporter. Hooker is a retired police officer from Dallas and Carrollton police departments.

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The Houston Chronicle announced two staff changes.

James Howard Gibbons has been named editor of the opinion page. Gibbons has worked at the Chronicle since 1974, and has served as copy editor, news editor of the weekend editions and senior editorial writer. 

Donald Bricker joined the staff as vice president of information systems and technology. Bricker most recently served as director of information technology at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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The Jewish Herald-Voice in Houston celebrated its 97th anniversary on April 24 and Joe and Jeanne Samuels’ 32nd anniversary as owners and publisher and editor, respectfully.

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Ashley Kilburn is the new editorial assistant at the Breckenridge American. Kilburn earned an associate’s degree from Texas State Technical College in Breckenridge in 2004.

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Angel Jenkins Morris has been renamed Duncanville Today editor, upon retirement of Today Newspapers features supplement, People Today. Morris had been editor of the People Today section for five years and had been both a reporter and editor of Duncanville Today.

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Burl Osborne, publisher emeritus of The Dallas Morning News, has been elected to another three-year term on The Associated Press board of directors. Osborne is board chairman.

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Owen Perry began writing a regular column, Kaleidoscope, for the Grapeland Messenger with the April 14 issue.

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The Plainview Daily Herald advertising department announced the addition of two new employees.

Alicea Cerovoski is an account executive in retail sales with accounts throughout the city. Stacy Alvarado has joined the classified advertising staff where she worked for a year about 10 years ago.

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Susanne Reed, Big Spring Herald publisher, was named Volunteer of the Year by Court Appointed Special Advocates of West Texas. Reed was selected from among a pool of volunteers in CASA of West Texas seven-county service area.

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Grete Dawn Brown and Jonathan Michael Sampson were married Jan. 29 in the First Presbyterian Church in Bartlesville, Okla. Sampson is managing editor of The Community News in Aledo. Following a honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas, the couple established their home in Fort Worth. The bride is a primate keeper at the Fort Worth Zoo.

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Amy Schelp is the new general-assignment reporter for The Bay City Tribune.

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Dave Sorter is the new managing editor of the Plano Star-Courier, The Allen American and The McKinney Messenger. Sorter comes to the newspaper after three years leading the news division of the company’s newspapers in Denton County, northwest Dallas County and Southlake.

Shelby Skrhak will become assistant managing editor. Skrhak began with Star Community Newspapers in 2002 as copy editor.

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Pete Szatmary comes to the Longview News-Journal as the new features editor from the Indianapolis Star, where he was the theater writer.

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The Texas Associated Press Managing Editors announced new officers during the annual convention in Corpus Christi.

Lois Norder, managing editor/ investigations at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, is the new president. Keven Willey, editorial page editor of The Dallas Morning News, was chosen as first vice president.

Brett Thacker, managing editor of the San Antonio Express-News, was named second vice president.

Dave Berry, managing editor of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, is the group’s secretary and Anthony Wilson, managing editor of the San Angelo Standard-Times, is treasurer.

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Mary Jane Todd resigned from her position as general manager of the Round Rock Leader after 22 years working in the family business. Todd spent the last seven years as the general manager, guiding the newspaper purchased by her family in 1972.

The Leader introduced Steve Laukhuf as the new general manager. Laukhuf recently resigned as a vice president of the Lee Tilford Advertising Agency in Austin.

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Michael Vivio will take over this summer as publisher of the Waco Tribune-Herald. Vivio is general manager of the paper and previously served five years as advertising director. Dan Savage plans to retire July 15 after 25 years with Cox Newspapers.

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Henry Wolff Jr., Victoria Advocate columnist, was elected president of the Texas Folklore Society during the 89th annual meeting in El Paso.

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