INA Leadership Transition Underway

The Iowa Newspaper Association is transitioning as it transitions.

As announced at the start of August, Susan Patterson Plank, executive director since 2016, will depart Sept. 1 to rejoin Gannett Co., Inc.

Patterson Plank, who joined INA in 2013 as sales and marketing director, will fill Gannett’s newly established position of vice president of public records strategic initiatives. She will continue to live in the Des Moines area.

Meanwhile, Debbie Anselm, the first INA board president elected to consecutive one-year terms, has stepped down as president but will remain on the board.

“It has been an honor to serve as your board president for the past 18 months,” said Anselm, publisher of the Davenport Quad-City Times and a Lee Enterprises executive. “While I look forward to making future contributions as a member of the board, I find the demands of my current position make it necessary to step down as president.”

“I have enjoyed working alongside a talented INA team and an invested, engaged board to advance the work of the Association and meet the needs of our members,” she said.

With Anselm stepping down, Terry Christensen, who had been slated to head the Executive Director Search Committee, will serve out Anselm’s term as board president and co-chair the Executive Search Committee.

Christensen, of the Fort Dodge Messenger, was INA board president prior to Anselm. He received INA Master Editor-Publisher Award earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Christensen has appointed Amy Duncan, publisher and owner of the Indianola Independent Advocate and Record-Herald, to serve as co-chair of the Executive Director Search Committee. Duncan, also a Master Editor-Publisher recipient (2010), is one of the few members to have served as president of all three association boards—the Iowa Newspaper Association, Iowa Newspaper Foundation and INA Services Co.

View the position here. Applications are being accepted through Wednesday, August 23.