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Star Tribune Names Derek Simmons Chief Creative Officer
MINNEAPOLIS – June 27, 2017 – Star Tribune Media Co., Minnesota’s largest media company, today announced it has named Derek Simmons its chief creative officer to lead development of innovative print and digital solutions that showcase the Star Tribune’s acclaimed journalism. Simmons, a 12-year Star Tribune veteran who leads the newsroom’s visuals department, will collaborate with the company’s advertising and marketing teams to create innovative new venues for bringing content and advertising to life for Star Tribune audiences.
The promotion expands the critical role that Simmons has held for the past three years at the Star Tribune, managing a team of 60 people in digital and print design, photography, graphics, multimedia, and technology. He has been the creative force behind some of Star Tribune’s most successful journalistic and advertising innovations, such as the redesign of startribune.com and its mobile site, the print and digital preview of U.S. Bank Stadium, the launch of the quarterly Star Tribune Magazine, and the ongoing celebration of the Star Tribune’s 150th anniversary.
During his tenure, the Star Tribune has won more national design and visual awards than ever, including the extraordinary honor of being named “Top 10 In The World” for three consecutive years by the International Society of News Design. At both Star Tribune and, previously, with The Los Angeles Times, Simmons led award-winning print and digital redesigns, and startups on platforms of all kinds.
“Derek is uniquely suited for this important new role,” said Rene Sanchez, editor and senior vice president of Star Tribune. “He’s a highly skilled, very creative, collaborative, and relentless journalist who is committed to excellence in every aspect of our visual presentation. His long track record of success has rightly earned the consistent praise of his industry peers, and we’re delighted to formalize his expanded role with Star Tribune.”
About Star Tribune Media Company
Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2017, Star Tribune Media Company LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest. With the fifth-largest Sunday and sixth-largest daily circulation newspaper in the U.S., the most-visited local website, a range of home-delivered advertising solutions, and a popular arts/entertainment publication and mobile app, Star Tribune reaches more consumers than any other Minnesota media brand.
Media contact:
Steve Yaeger
612-673-4256 (office)
651-357-3036 (mobile)
steve.yaeger@startribune.com