PRESS ROOM

Seattle Times Announces 2016 Leadership Changes

For Immediate Release — Feb. 9, 2016
Lindsay Taylor, Consumer Marketing Manager

Seattle, WA – As The Seattle Times celebrates its 120th anniversary, the company is announcing four senior leadership changes. Changes which support its preeminent position as the region’s leading print and digital provider of news, information and advertising.

“In this period of exciting change, we are pleased to announce key senior management changes as we evolve towards a digital first future as your most trusted source of news, informed opinion and advertising,” said Publisher Frank Blethen.

  • Alan Fisco, currently executive vice president, will now add chief financial officer to his title. Fisco will also assume responsibility for the Seattle Times Affiliate newspapers/websites in Yakima and Walla Walla. During his 24 years with the company he has held roles as single copy sales manager, home delivery manager, director of consumer marketing and vice president of circulation and vice president audience revenue. Fisco started in the newspaper industry in 1983 at The Everett Herald, moved to Oregon joining the Corvallis Gazette-Times and The Register-Guard in Eugene. Fisco has a B.A. in economics from the University of Washington.
  • Carey Butler, currently vice president and chief technology officer, will now add chief security officer to her title. Butler will be responsible for data security and continue to provide strategic leadership on technology matters. Butler joined The Seattle Times in 2013 as vice president and chief technology officer. Previous to The Times, Butler served as senior vice president of technology at Coinstar, Inc. (now Outerwall), where she was responsible for all technology aspects of the Coinstar kiosk offering, including development of new consumer products. Prior to this, Butler was vice president, professional engineering services, at BSQUARE. Butler earned her degree in business/quantitative methods from the University of Washington.
  • Sharon Prill has been named vice president of strategic initiatives and will report to the Publisher. She will lead the Publisher’s yearlong “Reimagine the Newspaper” initiative. An initiative which focuses on the news, information and entertainment needs of three generational segments: Millennials, Gen Xers and Boomers. Most recently, she served as publisher of the Times-owned Yakima Herald-Republic for five years. Prill’s previous positions include senior vice president, business operations at Journal Communications, based in Milwaukee, senior vice president of interactive and audience development at the Milwaukee Journal, and director of interactive media at The News Tribune in Tacoma. Prill started her career with The Seattle Times after earning her degree in political science at the University of Washington. Prill is also a Maynard Media Institute 2001 graduate and a 2005 Northwestern University Advance Executive Program graduate.
  • Bob Crider will become the publisher of Yakima Herald-Republic. Crider’s new role as publisher includes strategic direction for the Yakima Herald-Republic, where he will oversee day-to-day operations. Crider was editor of the Yakima Herald-Republic since 2009. He previously was the newspaper’s managing editor, and also has worked as a reporter and editor at other newspapers in Washington, Oregon and Maine. He has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.