The Associated Press chose Gary Pruitt to serve as its new CEO and President, snagging McClatchy's top exec and member of AP's board for the role.
Pruitt (pictured left) will take over in July, succeeding Tom Curley, who announced in January that he would be stepping down after nine years running the news wire.
“Gary has deep experience in the changing world of the news industry, an acute business sense and an overriding understanding of and commitment to AP’s news mission,” Dean Singleton, outgoing chairman of the AP Board of Directors, said in a statement.
“His background as a First Amendment lawyer is a hand-in-glove fit with AP’s long leadership role in fighting for open government and freedom of information. And, he knows AP well.”
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Pruitt joins the AP after almost 16 years as CEO of McClatchy, which owns 30 papers, including the Fresno Bee, Kansas City Star and Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He worked at the company, the third-largest newspaper in the U.S., for 28 years.
Pruitt has been on the AP’s Board of Directors for nine years.
“Gary and I have worked closely together for the last nine years,” Curley, who will step down in August, said in a statement. “He is a strong decision-maker and experienced leader with excellent management skills.”