Senior-level promotions announced at The Daily Gazette

Daily Gazette publisher John DeAugustine announced on Wednesday the promotion of two senior-level employees and the expansion of their functions at the company.

Vice-president of finance Lance Geda will now assume the role of general manager and head up the finance, production and circulation departments at the newspaper.

DeAugustine said Geda’s promotion comes as the company is expanding its product offerings, growing revenue and “expanding our business.”

“Lance’s deep understanding of our business and his commitment to excellence will give these critical functions the support and guidance necessary for success,” said DeAugustine in a staff memo released Wednesday.

Geda has worked in the newspaper business for 19 years. Before coming to the Gazette he worked for the Hearst Corporation in Connecticut for four years and for MediaNews Group Corporate as their director of financial planning and analysis in Denver for three years.

Earlier in his career he spent eight years in Philadelphia at the Inquirer and Daily News where he rose to the position of director of finance during his eight years with the paper.

Geda said he’ll be looking at ways to increase efficiency in the production, distribution and management departments, which should free up resources to better serve the community and the newspaper’s readers and clients.

“In many ways it’s an extension of the work I do in [finance],” said Geda in an email. “My challenge has been and will continue to be to maximize the resources we have available.”

DeAugustine also announced that editor Judy Patrick will retain her role as editor, but is now promoted to her new title of “senior vice president and editor.”

DeAugustine said in her new role, Patrick will work with the company officers to help guarantee that strategic planning and execution going forward is “squarely focused” on creating quality content that the newspaper’s customers and community deserves.

“[Patrick’s] 30-plus years of experience and passion for our business will supply the expertise and vision we need when planning our future,” said DeAugustine in his memo.

Patrick began at the Gazette in 1982 when she worked as a reporter in the Amsterdam bureau. She spent the next decade reporting for various bureaus in Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa and Mechanicville before moving on to such positions as managing editor and day city editor at the newspaper’s main office in Schenectady. She became editor in 2013.

Patrick said in her new role she’ll be leading the Gazette’s efforts to “take our journalism to the next level.”

“I’ll be working directly with our newsroom, our board of directors and, most importantly, our audience to develop valued content,” said Patrick in an email. “It’s an exciting time for our industry and my new responsibilities will make it possible for our company, and our audience, to capitalize on the wonderful opportunities out there for content development.”

Reach Gazette reporter Dan Fitzsimmons at 852-9605, [email protected] or @DanFitzsimmons on Twitter.