News Sentinel ace photographer Saul Young snaps a shot of Bruce Hartmann presenting the new publisher with a photograph for his new office. The picture of UT's Volunteer mascot was taken by the late Clay Owen, a beloved News Sentinel photographer.
Birmingham is the new publisher of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Bruce Hartmann, the former publisher who recently was promoted to a larger role in the News Sentinel’s parent company, introduced Birmingham at a reception last Thursday at the East Tennessee History Center for about 200 community leaders.
Birmingham said the fact that the parent company, E.W. Scripps, has stationed both Hartmann and Rusty Coats in Knoxville shows the Cincinnati-based company’s commitment to Knoxville as a good business location. Hartmann, as vice president of sales (print and interactive), has responsibility for all advertising and circulation functions of the 14 properties in the newspaper division. All Scripps advertising and circulation sales directors report to him. Coats, as vice president of content and marketing, is responsible for the content and promotion of all 14 newspaper properties and their on-line counterparts. All editors, marketing directors and on-line interactive staff report to him.
Patrick Birmingham, left, chats with Keith Goodwin, CEO of East Tennessee Children's Hospital
“These are arguably the most important two positions as far as running our company’s newspapers,” Birmingham explained. “It is a big deal that they are both located in Knoxville.” (Scripps Networks, also headquartered in Knoxville, is operated by a separate company.)
Birmingham comes to Knoxville from Corpus Christi where he was president and publisher of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. In Knoxville, he also will have regional responsibilies at the newspapers in Evansville (IN) and Anderson (SC).
In Corpus Christi, Birmingham was a member of 11 civic and charitable boards. He said he expects to be active in the civic life of Knoxville, as well, but perhaps not to that extent. “I need to get my feet on the ground first,” he explained. “And, remember, I will have to travel some as part of my regional role. So expect me to be active, but don’t expect me to be on 11 boards!”
Hartmann said he also intends to continue to be active in the Knoxville community, although he, too, has a heavy travel schedule.
Among other civic leadership roles in Corpus Christi, Birmingham was board chair of Christus Spohn Health Systems and the United Way of the Coastal Bend. He was president-elect of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association and served on the boards of the Texas State Aquarium, John Paul II High School and the USS Lexington.
He and his wife, Missy, recently have purchased a home in Knoxville’s Whittington Creek subdivision. They have two children, Patrick and Lauren.
In addition to the folks in the photos on this blog post, some of the others at the reception included: Mayor Bill Haslam; Mayor Mike Ragsdale; Ed Brantley of Citadel; developers Justin and Nick Cazana; Mike Connor; Buddy McLean, Shari and Farley Day, all of David Newman Payne; Larry and Jane Martin; Lisa Duncan of Dogwood Arts; John Gill; Mike Arms; Jim Hart; County Commissioners Ed Shouse, Finbarr Saunders, Mike Brown, R. Larry Smith and Tank Strickland; City Councilman Rob Frost; the Urban League’s Phyllis Nichols; City Judge John Rosson; Mintha Roach of KUB; Rachel Ford of the Knoxville Symphony; Susan Brown; Janet Testerman and Gay Lyons of Knoxville Magazine; Sherri Gardner Howell of Blount Today; Dr. Doug Leahy; State Sen. Tim Burchett; Pam Fansler and Jennifer Holder of First Tennessee; John Duncan III; Sharon Miller Pryse of The Trust Company; Ben Landers of United Way; and many News Sentinel folks including Deanene Catani, Bill Brewer, John North, Tom Chester, Robin Helton, Bill Osborne, Erin Slocum, Amanda Hurley, Georgiana Vines, Paul Abraham and Kim Askey.
City Councilman Marilyn Roddy, left, and her husband, Patrick, share a laugh with Barbara Bernstein, an active community volunteer
Ellen Liston of Children's Hospital, center, and UT's Margie Nichols, engage with Chris Fuller of UT's athletics department
UT's Betsey Creekmore, left, shares a tale with Bill Regas of Regas Restaurant and Janet Crossley
From left: News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy, Bruce Hartmann, Jim and Natalie Haslam
County Commissioner Richard Briggs, left, and KCDC Commissioner Craig Griffith
Patrick Birmingham, left, greets City Councilman Bob Booker
Media moguls. Scripps vice prez Bruce Hartmann, left, Birmingham, WBIR GM Jeff Lee and his wife, Christie
City Councilman Marilyn Roddy kids around with Jerry Askew of Mercy Health Partners
Birmingham, left, meets County Commissioner Bud Armstrong
