10/11/2005

John O. Lumpkin, Sue Cross, Tom Slaughter take on expanded roles in reorganized AP division


NEW YORK -- John O. Lumpkin, Sue Cross and Tom Slaughter will take on expanded responsibilities under a reorganization of the Newspaper & New Media Markets department of The Associated Press.

Lumpkin becomes vice president of business operations, Cross vice president of newspapers online and Slaughter vice president of administration. Together they will manage the U.S. newspaper market and report to Tom Brettingen, senior vice president.

The changes, effective immediately, follow the recent announcement by AP President and CEO Tom Curley that AP will restructure its marketing channels along global lines. Brettingen's N&NMM department will be responsible for international newspaper, magazine and news agency business, both for print and online. Similarly, Jim Williams, vice president of Broadcast Services, will have global responsibility for the news agency's broadcast business, and Jane Seagrave, vice president of New Media Markets, for all new-media business outside of the newspaper and broadcast markets.

Lumpkin will be responsible for sales and marketing to U.S. newspapers and also will oversee the domestic bureau chief system. In addition, he will retain a portion of his current responsibilities as N&NMM regional vice president for the South. Reporting to him will be the department's regional vice presidents -- Paul Stevens for the Central region, based in Kansas City; Linda Stowell for the East, based in Philadelphia; and Cross's replacement in the West -- along with Jim Reindl, director of major accounts, based in Chicago. Lumpkin will remain based in Dallas.

Cross will be responsible for managing AP's online services to member newspapers, improving current services and developing new content and technology offerings to help U.S. newspapers grow their online audiences and businesses. Reporting to Cross will be Kate Butler, newly relocated to Detroit in a marketing role, and support staff in New York. Cross has been the N&NMM regional vice president for the West since September 2003. She will remain based in Los Angeles.

Slaughter will be responsible for budget management, corporate governance, coordination of print product management, liaison with other departments, and other headquarters activities. Reporting to him will be Steve Elliott, deputy director for product development, and other headquarters staff. Slaughter has been vice president of newspaper markets since 2003. He will remain based in New York City.

Stevens and Stowell each will take on responsibility for several states in addition to those they currently oversee -- Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee for Stevens, North and South Carolina for Stowell.

contact: Jack Stokes, AP Corporate Communications, 212.621.1720