Alexandra Villoch Succeeds David Landsberg as Publisher of Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald

    MIAMI, FL, April 11, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) today named Alexandra Villoch as president and publisher of the Miami Herald Media Company, which publishes the Miami Herald and the Spanish-language El Nuevo Herald newspapers and their affiliated print and digital products.

Villoch has been the senior vice president for advertising and marketing at the Miami Herald Media Company since 2005. She replaces David Landsberg, who previously announced his departure to become president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of South Florida. Villoch begins her new role April 14.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to have such a savvy, accomplished media executive as Alex in-house and ready to step up into this important post," said Pat Talamantes, McClatchy's president and CEO. "We're excited about the future of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald under Alex's leadership."

Villoch, 56, joined the Miami Herald Media Company in 2000 as national advertising director and became the director of retail advertising and event marketing in 2001. She joined the company's executive ranks in 2005 as the senior vice president for advertising and marketing. In that capacity, she was responsible for leading and developing sales and advertising strategies across all product lines as well as spearheading the company's marketing efforts. She also headed HCP/Aboard, the company's custom publishing division that produces 36 different books and publications with more than 115 editions.

"Alex is fiercely committed to Miami and is equally passionate about the Herald's vital role in that community," said Mark Zieman, McClatchy's vice president of operations. "She is a proven innovator, a respected leader and a vocal champion of our successful transformation into a digitally focused media company. Alex is perfectly suited for her new role."

Prior to joining the Miami Herald Media Company, Villoch worked for United Airlines and was the airline's general manager for Miami International Airport and the Caribbean with responsibility for all passenger and cargo operations, sales and government relations.

Villoch, who is fluent in Spanish, was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States with her parents at age 2. Her father worked for a global construction company and Villoch moved often during childhood, including stays in Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Peru, Louisiana and Texas.

She moved in with relatives in Miami to finish high school, attended Miami Dade College and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and an MBA from the University of Miami. She is married to Cesar Mendoza, a McClatchy Company IT employee. They have four adult children.

Villoch said she was both excited and honored to lead the Miami Herald Media Company.

"We have a talented, motivated and passionate team," she said, "and together we will work to carry out our mission of serving our diverse and vibrant community with quality journalism and products across all media platforms. I look forward to working to strengthen our position and grow our reach."

Villoch is extremely active in the Miami community. Over the years, she has served on numerous civic and charitable boards and won many honors for both her citizen and professional leadership. She presently serves on the executive committee of The Beacon Council, on the board of governors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and also on the board of directors for the Miami Dade College Foundation.

About McClatchy

The McClatchy Company is a leading news and information provider, offering a wide array of print and digital products in each of the markets it serves. McClatchy's operations include 30 daily newspapers, community newspapers, websites, mobile news and advertising, niche publications, direct marketing and direct mail services. The company's largest newspapers include the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram, The Sacramento Bee, The Kansas City Star, the Miami Herald, The Charlotte Observer and The (Raleigh) News & Observer. McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

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