Star Media's Ferguson promoted to Gannett group president

Karen Ferguson, president and publisher of the Indy Star, has been promoted to become one of three group presidents for Gannett's U.S. Community Publishing division.

Ferguson will continue to be publisher of The Star and the top executive overseeing other Gannett properties in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and she will remain in Indianapolis. In her expanded role, she also will oversee operations in California, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

"I am humbled to be asked to lead in a bigger way in our company at a very exciting time, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to reconnect with the teams in the West," Ferguson said. "Most importantly, I am delighted that Indy will still be my home and I can continue to work with our team at The Star to serve the greater good of Central Indiana."

Ferguson has been publisher and president of Star Media since 2010, transforming Indiana's largest media company into a digitally centered operation, including moving its offices from Pennsylvania Street to its new state-of-the-art home in Circle Centre mall.

She began her Gannett career 20 years ago as a circulation sales manager for The Tennessean/Nashville Banner and has held several positions since then for Gannett. In 2003, she became director of business development at Republic Media in Phoenix and rose to the position of senior vice president for advertising and strategic planning there, while also assuming leadership for print and digital advertising sales.

In her new role, she succeeds John Zidich, who was recently promoted to president of domestic publishing for Gannett. Ferguson joins two other group presidents: former Star Media publisher Michael Kane, whose duties include president and publisher of the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, and Laura Hollingsworth, whose duties include president and publisher of The Tennessean in Nashville.

Call Star reporter Leisa Richardson at (317) 444-6378. Follow her on Twitter: leisarichardson.