Baltimore Sun Publisher Quits

By Nick Madigan
Sun Reporter
Originally published July 17, 2006, 12:58 PM EDT
Denise E. Palmer, the publisher and chief executive officer of The Sun for four years, will step down on July 28 to accept a position as publisher of The Tampa Tribune.

She will be replaced on an interim basis by Bob Gremillion, a vice president for The Sun's parent, Chicago-based Tribune Co., until a permanent replacement is appointed.

In an e-mail sent to the staff at noon today, Palmer wrote that it had been a "great privilege" for her to lead The Sun.

"Each of you cares deeply about The Sun and its readers, its advertisers and the community," she wrote. "You show that passion in all the great work you do every day."

Palmer, 49, declined a telephone request for an interview.

Scott Smith, president of Tribune Publishing, which oversees the company's newspapers, said he was grateful for Palmer's four years at The Sun as well as her contributions during a long career with the Tribune Co.

Before her arrival in Baltimore, Palmer was president of Chicagoland Television, a 24-hour local news cable channel known as CLTV. She joined Tribune in 1980 as a corporate auditor and through the years served in various strategic planning and financial management roles for the parent company, as well as at The Chicago Tribune and WGN Radio.

"Denise has strengthened The Sun and its related media businesses to better serve readers and advertisers," Smith said. "The Sun will build on these positive changes in the years ahead."

Palmer has been responsible not only for publication of The Sun and baltimoresun.com but for The Baltimore Sun Community Newspapers, which consist of the publications of Patuxent Publishing Company and The Aegis, Harford County's community newspaper.

At The Tampa Tribune, published by Media General, Palmer will replace Gil Thelen, who in March announced that he would retire as publisher and president of the paper June 30.

 

From publisher of the Baltimore Sun to publisher of the Tampa Tribune seems like a bit of a step down, careerwise.

 

On the other hand, with all the cuts the Trib Co. wants to do, maybe it isnt a dumb idea

 

Hell, even if they cut everyone else, they'd still have a publisher at each paper, wouldn't they?

 

Very classy of Ms. Palmer to decline an interview -- with her own paper.
Egads.

 

That has to set some sort of new low. A publisher doesn't even respect their own newspaper.

 

Yeah, who the hell does she think she is-Wendy McCaw?!?