USA Today‘s editorial staff has seen quite a change as a number of staffers have departed after taking buyouts. Executive editors Susan Weiss and David Colton are among those to decamp. Weiss had been with USA Today since 1988, and served as executive editor since 2010. Colton joined USA Today in 1983, and had been executive editor overseeing Page One since 1999. Claudia Puig leaves behind her role as a film critic, having worked at the paper since 1997. Investments reporter and columnist John Waggoner also departs after having worked at USA Today since 1999, along with automotive industry columnist and reporter James R. Healey, who had been with the paper since 1988. Marketing and advertising reporter Bruce Horovitz is out, as well as Gary Strauss, who had been serving as a reporter covering financial markets, and personal finance and retirement savings reporter Nanci Hellmich, who had been with the paper since 1983. Autos editor Fred Meier also departs, as well as economics and real estate editor Doug Carroll. Meier and Carroll both joined the staff of USA Today in 1985. Senior night editor Fred Anklam has also taken a buyout. He joined the staff in 1986 after working for Gannett News Service for two years. Additionally, money editor Anne Willette and managing editor of news Dennis Moore have left. Willette had previously served as breaking news editor for the paper, and Moore was previously a longtime managing editor of the paper’s Life section before moving into his most recent role in 2014.
Amidst the buyouts, a few other changes were made at USA Today. Laura Petrecca has been named money editor, stepping into Willette’s vacated role, but will remain in the New York office to serve as bureau chief. Lisa Kiplinger was been named personal finance editor, having most recently served as a copy editor for the Money section. Kiplinger fills the role recently vacated by Rodney Brooks, who took an early buyout and moved on to The Washington Post. Joining as breaking news editor is Donna Leinwand Leger, who was previously a reporter covering breaking national news in the paper’s Washington, D.C. bureau. This is the second major change for the paper in the past several months, as a large number of staffers were laid off in September. For the latest breaking news follow USA Today on Twitter.
This one got all the facts right! Thank you Richard Horgan. Claudia Puig Takes the USA Today Buyout | FishbowlNY http://t.co/qNSzTeiwiR
— Claudia Puig (@claudiapuig) May 15, 2015
My last column for USA TODAY: http://t.co/9Vz3g6mhXK
— John Waggoner (@JohnWaggoner) May 15, 2015
Resume-a-Tweet: Friday (5/15) is my last at USA TODAY. It's been a hoot. Wide open to all possibilities that are fun, legal and creative.
— Bruce Horovitz (@brucehorovitz) May 14, 2015
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