Sizemore, Sheroan named to run newspapers

  Staff Report Two staff members of The News-Enterprise have assumed top management positions for newspapers in Nelson, Grayson and LaRue counties operated by Landmark Community Newspapers Inc.

Circulation Manager Jamie Sizemore, an LCNI veteran of more than 23 years, was named publisher of The Kentucky Standard in Bardstown by R. Chris Ordway, publisher of The News-Enterprise. Sizemore will be responsible for leading the staff of The Kentucky Standard and PLG-13 cable in improving news and information products, growing paid advertising lineage and circulation, and accelerating the profit growth of the tri-weekly newspaper and cable operations.

Sizemore joined LCNI following her graduation from Western Kentucky University in 1985. After a successful performance as advertising sales representative at The Galax (Va.) Gazette, she was promoted to general manager of The Community Times and the Randallstown News in suburban Baltimore. In 1988, Sizemore was named advertising manager of Roane Newspapers Group in Kingston, Tenn. Her career path then carried her to The News-Enterprise in 1992 where she has served in various senior leader roles including advertising manager, new ventures manager, Big Screen Television advertising manager and, most recently, circulation director of the daily newspaper.

In 2006, Sizemore was named the Newspaper Association of America’s “Circulation Sales Executive of the Year” among member newspapers with paid circulation under 150,000. Also that year, the staff of The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University’s award-winning student newspaper, honored Sizemore as the recipient of their annual “Herald Award” for outstanding contributions to the field of journalism. She also has served the Kentucky Press Association as Circulation Division Chairperson.

“I am thrilled about this wonderful opportunity to work with the staff of The Kentucky Standard and PLG-13. They have accomplished many great things over the years with more opportunities on the horizon,” Sizemore said.

Sizemore and her husband, Toney, are the parents of two teenage sons: Grayson, a freshman at Western Kentucky University, and Corbin, a junior at Central Hardin High School.

Also, the News-Enterprise presentation editor Ben Sheroan, a journalist with more than 25 years of management experience, has been named general manager of The LaRue County Herald-News in Hodgenville and The Record in Leitchfield.

Sheroan will be responsible for operational oversight, coaching and leading staff in the development and successful implementation of immediate, short-term and long-term strategies to improve the news product, grow the paid circulation and accelerate the profit growth of both weekly newspapers.

In addition to focusing on news, advertising and customer service in both communities, Sheroan will coordinate centralized production services between the weeklies and The News-Enterprise and will serve on the daily newspaper’s senior leadership team.

“I’m excited about the opportunity of working with the skilled staff members and being part of two unique, vibrant newspapers and communities,” Sheroan said.

Sheroan began his newspaper career in 1974 while still in high school, working as a part-time sports writer with The News-Enterprise. He served in various newsroom roles, including assistant editor, through 1990 when he became city editor of The Messenger-Inquirer in Owensboro. He later served as editor of a morning daily in West Virginia and publisher of daily and weekly newspapers in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Sheroan, 50, returned to The News-Enterprise in April 2006 as presentation editor, working on the copy desk of the daily newspaper. A native of Vine Grove, Sheroan and his wife, Jeanne, reside in Elizabethtown and are members of First Christian Church. They have two married daughters and three grandchildren.

Portia Oldham, whose employment with LCNI spans 27 years, has been named circulation director of The News-Enterprise to succeed Jamie Sizemore. As circulation director she will be responsible for leading and coaching circulation sales, customer service and distribution staff in implementing strategies and tactics to improve delivery services and grow the net paid circulation and market penetration of the daily newspaper. In addition to these duties, she will serve as a member of the daily newspaper’s senior leadership team.

“I’m so excited about the next chapter in my professional career as circulation director of The News-Enterprise. We have a strong team of talented and knowledgeable people in which I’m very confident. I look forward to working with them in moving the newspaper forward,” Oldham said.

Oldham has served in numerous key advertising sales leadership roles including key account executive, nationals/healthcare team leader, automotive team leader, advertising marketing and sales support team leader, and retail advertising manager. In 2007 as part of internal succession planning, Oldham transitioned to the circulation department where she has served as circulation marketing and sales manager. Prior to joining Landmark, Oldham was Hardin County’s Sales and Marketing Manager for Comcast Communications, the world’s third largest cable company.

Oldham, 46, is a graduate of Elizabethtown High School, attended Elizabethtown Community College and is a 2006-2007 graduate of Leadership Elizabethtown Program. She and her husband, Kevin, are life-long residents of Hardin County. They have two sons: Kyle, 21, a senior at Georgetown College, and Austin, 16, a junior at John Hardin High School.