VALDOSTA – Jack Robb, a veteran newspaper executive, has been appointed publisher of The Valdosta Daily Times, effective immediately.

Robb has worked closely with the newspaper’s staff for the past year in an advisory role for CNHI, LLC, the paper’s parent company.

He will be assisted by Laurie Gay, who has been promoted to general manager-advertising director. She also serves as general manager-ad director at the CNHI Moultrie Observer and The Tifton Gazette.

“I’m delighted with the opportunity in my role as publisher to work more closely with Laurie and the other talented team members of the Valdosta Daily Times,” Robb said.

Together, he added, “we can move smartly forward in serving the Valdosta market with news and advertising content they want, need and value in print and online.”

Gay is a veteran of newspaper advertising, having joined the Moultrie Observer as a sales representative after graduating from high school. She eventually moved up to director of advertising at the Observer, the Tifton Gazette and last September at the Valdosta Daily times.

“Newspapers have been my career. So I’m super excited with my expanded general manager’s role,” she said. “The pandemic was a tough time but business is back, the economy is turning around and I’m looking forward to much better times ahead.”

Robb has worked with CNHI, the Alabama-based newspaper company, for nearly 22 years in various roles, including most of that time as senior vice president of revenue.

Previously, he served for more than 11 years as an advertising executive with Gannett newspapers in Salinas, Calif.; Huntington, W.Va., and North Hills, Pa. He has also worked as a sales consultant for Pulse Research, a media research company.

“The pandemic caused unexpected challenges for The Valdosta Daily Times and newspapers everywhere,” Robb said. “Now it is important that we re-engage with the community, readers and business owners. My goal is to focus on and increase local news, print and digital subscribers, and advertisers.”

In his Valdosta position, Robb will also serve as regional publisher for CNHI’s South Georgia Media Group, including The Moultrie Observer, Thomasville Times-Enterprise and The Tifton Gazette.