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| Left to right, Miami Herald publisher David Landsberg, Miami Herald executive editor Aminda Marqués Gonzalez, and el Nuevo Herald executive editor and general manager Manny Garcia. |
UPDATED at 8:30pm: Garcia is telling newsroom colleagues that he's "headed to Naples to become editor of the Naples Daily News."
Wednesday afternoon, Miami Herald publisher David Landsberg sent an email to the newsroom announcing that Manny Garcia, executive editor of el Nuevo Herald, "has accepted an Editor opportunity at an organization soon to be announced."
However, a story on el Nuevo Herald's website says that Garcia "will accept an executive position with another Florida newspaper company."
From: Landsberg, David
Date: Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 3:05 PM
Subject: Manny Garcia
To: Newsroom
After 23 years at the Miami Herald Media Company, Manny Garcia has accepted an Editor opportunity at an organization soon to be announced.
It is going to be difficult to say goodbye to Manny after all his good work at MHMC. Manny's stories over the years have helped change Florida law, led to the arrest of public officials and helped free a wrongfully convicted man serving a life sentence for a murder he did not commit. Manny’s work has led to Pulitzer Prizes and other national distinctions.
Manny’s career began as a clerk/reporter where he got paid $35 for his first byline. He worked as a Neighbors writer, moved on to the City Desk, where he covered courts, cops, Miami City Hall and worked on the Investigative Team. As a manager, he was Metro Editor and then Senior News Editor - his last post before joining El Nuevo Herald.
In ENH, under his leadership, ENH’s reporting team, along with the Miami Herald, was named a Pulitzer finalist in breaking news. ENH was the first ever Spanish language newspaper to receive this honor. Manny’s cross-divisional work has helped boost circulation, generate incremental revenue and exponentially grow digital traffic. ENH just launched Caliente which has had a solid premier and is growing.
Manny has been friend, mentor and champion to many. Please join me in wishing him well. Manny’s last day will be 10/18.
With Manny’s departure, we are looking to fill the position of Editor of El Nuevo Herald. The editor is responsible for establishing direction and goals for El Nuevo Herald and is an ambassador in our community. Posting to follow.
There's no getting around it - this is a huge loss for the Herald and its readers and its remaining staffers. (By some counts, this is the seventh loss of an experienced newsroom employee during this calendar year, and there wasn't an abundance of experienced people left at the start of the year)
ReplyDeleteManny is the real deal. He and I had some differences when we both were plagued by a certain supervisor, but when that person left, Manny returned to his naturally good and fine Manny Garcia-ness. He is a true pro and he tried to be a genuinely good person.
It's not my place to draw conclusions about his departure (and that of the others), but...it's a loss. A very serious loss.
That said, I wish him well.