Ken Riddick

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Senior Digital Strategy and Marketing Executive

Eighteen years of wide-ranging executive digital, social and mobile marketing experience; 32 years media experience

Leadership of complete P&Ls

Supervised teams of more than 90 in technology, content, marketing, sales and product development

Led double-digit digital annual audience growth

Seasoned corporate executive with diverse experience in medium to large markets

Product development, audience, production and business development experience

Internet, Social Media and mobile business and audience strategies

Experience leading successful business and product development initiatives across divisions and media

SEO, SEM, Social Media, user experience and semantic web

Directed the re-invention of the largest print newspaper to a digital-only business in just six weeks

Led complicated technology transitions that reduced expense and enhanced productivity

Proven change leadership

Experience in merger and acquisition due diligence

Disciplined and informed strategic and business vision

Exemplary leadership, development and mentoring skills

Creative innovator with proven execution skills

Experience

The Modesto Bee & The Merced Sun-Star: President and Publisher June 2014 to Present

Ultimate responsibility for all operations - Audience, News, Digital, Finance and P&L, Operations - for two news media properties in California's Central Valley

Led McClatchy Company's 30 newspapers in 2016 year-over-year Digital-only revenue growth

Merced and Modesto finished number 1 and 3 respectively within McClatchy in 2016 for overall year-over-year advertising revenue trend

In a swing of more than $8.9MM since 2013, Modesto has improved OCF year-over-year trend dramatically and grown OCF 7.9% in 2016

Reduced expenses 39% since 2013

Led McClatchy in 2016 year-over-year locally controlled revenue performance

Supervise approximately 100 managers and staff

Plan and implement marketing strategies for B2C, B2B, and partnership efforts

Lead development of products, strategic development, and execution plans

 Responsible for entire P&L, as well as revenue and content strategies

Lead conceptual and strategic development and execution

The Charlotte Observer: Vice President of Digital Media & Marketing March 2010 to June 2014

Lead all digital operations at metro media company, producing more than 360 million page views and millions of dollars in revenues

Guide all digital strategies for The Charlotte Observer and The Herald (Rock Hill, SC)

Plan and implement marketing strategies for B2C, B2B, and partnership efforts

Manage team of 50, including client success representatives, in addition to web developers, and social media marketing efforts, editorial content for three niche magazines

Develop products, strategic development, and execution plans

 Responsible for digital P&L, as well as revenue and content strategies

Lead conceptual and strategic development and execution

Hearst Newspapers VP/Digital Media
VP/Hearst Seattle Media, LLC July 2007 to December 2010

Responsible for interactive operations of 15 Hearst newspapers, producing more than 3 billion page views and millions in revenues annually, including the Houston Chronicle, the San Francisco Chronicle, SeattlePI.com and the San Antonio Express-News

 Led conversion of the 146-year-old Seattle Post-Intelligencer to an online-only business model in only six weeks

 Led negotiations, development, development team, partners and stakeholders to create centralized digital publishing platforms for all newspaper sites

 Responsible for mergers-and-acquisitions due diligence, partner and vendor negotiation and acquisition

The McClatchy Company
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune  SVP/Interactive Media 2003 to 2007

Responsible for interactive P&L and all revenue and content strategies

Tripled revenues, reduced expenses, achieved annual double-digit audience growth

Led the conceptual and strategic development and execution of award-winning Internet niche products

Member of the Operating Committee, directing policy and strategy

Negotiated and executed cross-media partnerships with local television station

Served as integral team member McClatchy's $530 million sale of The Star-Tribune to Avista Capital

 Managed a team of 60 programmers, marketing, sales and product development staff, journalists, designers

The Fresno Bee  Director of Interactive Media 1999 to 2003

Responsible for all content and revenue strategies for six Web sites, including a biligual site

Member of the Operating Committee, directing policy and strategy

Led the successful redesign and strategic re-launch of fresnobee.com

Previous positions included Online Managing Editor

Previous Experience 1984 to 1999

Led photojournalism and visual content report for newspapers in Fresno, California; Fort Myers, Florida; Greeley, Colorado

Supervised photojournalism and design staffs

Began the early transition from film to digital operations

Designed display section fronts such as A1, Sports, Special Sections

Owned and operated a commercial and editorial photography business in Fort Worth, Texas