After 17 years at the helm, Pacific Publishing Company Inc. president Tom Haley is retiring.
Haley's last day at work will be Friday, March 30.
Pacific Publishing owns and operates the Beacon Hill News & South District Journal and six other local community newspapers: Magnolia News, Queen Anne News, Capitol Hill Times, North Seattle Herald-Outlook, Madison Park Times and the Kirkland Courier. The company also performs web-printing services for some 250 clients.
Haley, 64, will be available as a consultant to Pacific Publishing owner and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bernhard of Danville, Calif., who will assume the role of company president. Bernhard, a career newspaper person, also owns community newspapers in Nevada.
Vice President and Publisher Mike Dillon, Vice President of Operations Robert Munford and Controller Carmen Evans will continue in their respective roles.
"Tom has done a brilliant job in building and managing Pacific Publishing," Bernhard said. "His steady hand and attention to detail have served our company well and positioned us to continue to grow our newspapers. When I purchased the company in 2005 we discussed this transition. As is customary with Tom, he made sure to train and position our executive team to take over when he left. We expect a smooth transition."
Haley founded Pacific Publishing in 1990 with the acquisition of Murray Publishing Company and Flaherty Newspapers.
Haley's newspaper career, which began in 1972, has included executive roles at the Detroit Free Press, Dallas Times-Herald, Orange Coast Publishing Company and the Denver Post, among other newspaper companies.
In Seattle he served as president of the board of directors for Food Lifeline and on the board of directors for First Place School and United Way.
Looking back, Haley said he is most proud of establishing a company culture at Pacific Publishing where "kindness and fairness are important. It's not ordinary. That was a specific goal when I founded the company," the corporate newspaper veteran said.
Haley plans to move to Carlsbad, Calif., in May in order to spend more time with his five grandchildren and perhaps complete his master's degree, which was interrupted by his newspaper career. He said he might even take up golf, "Which I have successfully avoided to this point."
"Anyone lucky enough to have worked with Tom will understand how sorry we are to see him go," said publisher Dillon. "His integrity and human kindness, matched by his intelligence and professionalism, have made it a privilege to work for him. I'm happy for him, though. He's going to be near his family. He richly deserves it."
Looking ahead, Haley noted: "The best is yet to come for Pacific Publishing Company and its many talented staff members."[[In-content Ad]]
