Good news from OCR ... finally

Todd is one of the finest people I've ever known and is a newspaper stalwart.
A great decision from Digital First Media. Congratulations to Todd.

Todd Harmonson named senior editor of The Orange County Register

SANTA ANA, CALIF. – May 6, 2016 – Todd Harmonson has been named senior editor of The Orange County Register. In this role, he is responsible for the Register’s newsgathering across all platforms including websites, mobile, apps, daily and community newspapers, and monthly magazines Coast, OC Family and Southland Golf.

Harmonson also joins the senior editorial management team within Southern California News Group, where he will collaborate with other top editors to develop strategy and coordinate coverage of regional interest.

Southern California News Group is a newly formed business unit of Digital First Media that operates 11 daily newspapers and associated websites across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Collectively, Southern California News Group now serves more than eight million readers each week.

“Todd is a natural leader and top-notch journalist who has already made major contributions to the Register newsroom,” said Frank Pine, executive editor at the Register and Southern California News Group. “In his new role, Todd will ensure we maintain a local focus and high standard of quality for readers, and guide us into a future that includes enhancing how we package our print and digital content.”

“I am honored to lead a talented, dedicated team of reporters, editors, photographers and designers who pride themselves in serving our communities,” Harmonson said. “I am committed to strengthening the Register’s position as the leading source of local news and information.”

Harmonson is an award-winning journalist with nearly 30 years of experience as an editor, reporter, columnist and designer. He most recently served as the Register’s assistant managing editor of Sports, where he led a team of sports journalists and collaborated with other journalists within Southern California News Group to cover topics of regional interest.

Throughout his career, Harmonson has mentored journalists at the Register and students through the all-volunteer California Scholastic Press Association. He has served as a CSPA vice president, board member and workshop instructor during a 26-year period.

Harmonson is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a degree in Communications. He began his career at The Daily Breeze, a Southern California News Group newspaper. He joined the Register in 1998 as a reporter and copy editor, covering the NFL and then USC. He was promoted to assistant sports editor in 2006, sports editor in 2011 and assistant managing editor in 2014.

In 2015, Harmonson received the prestigious David McQuay Award for Best Columnist from the Orange County Press Club.

“I was first hired at the Register primarily to cover the effort to bring an NFL team back to the region,” Harmonson added. “Nearly 18 years later, that job finally is done.”

Harmonson replaces managing editor Donna Wares, who is leaving the Register today to serve as editorial director for a yet-to-be-launched online travel startup.

 

Always nice to see someone who moves their way up through the ranks get rewarded. All too rare these days, unfortunately.

Good luck to Todd and the rest of the OCR crew.