McClatchy advertising leader will be based in Columbus, serve as president of Georgia markets

The McClatchy Co., the parent company of the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper, will soon place one of its top leaders in Columbus, where he’ll also serve as president of the company’s Georgia markets.

Rodney Mahone will lead sales teams across McClatchy’s 30 markets, driving revenue to support essential local journalism not only in Georgia, but company media properties such as the Miami Herald and Kansas City Star.

The move is a homecoming for Mahone, a former publisher of the Ledger-Enquirer, who served in a variety of roles for nearly 30 years before becoming president and publisher of the Charlotte Observer. Mahone is a Columbus native and has raised his family, including a University of Georgia junior, in his hometown.

Mahone will begin working from Georgia later this month or early July.

“I’m humbled and proud to lead in this unprecedented time for our country and industry,” Mahone said in a statement.

“Together, we will ensure we are able to provide essential news and information to help the health and resilience of our readers, customers and communities. The headwinds are strong, but so is the dedication of our journalists and business professionals. What we do has never been more important. We are committed to helping rebuild, grow and heal.”

“Rodney’s leadership in advertising, driving revenue growth and sales teams across 30 local markets, is of vital strategic importance to McClatchy,” said Craig Forman, company president and CEO. “We’re excited to continue to expand the scope of his responsibilities —leading our C3 call center in Texas and new initiatives for small and medium-sized business advertisers — and have him return to his home base in Columbus to lead our markets in the state of Georgia.”

As president of the Ledger-Enquirer and Macon Telegraph, Mahone replaces Ross McDuffie, who is leaving the company June 12.

McDuffie, a Columbus native, was promoted to general manager/vice president of advertising for the two Georgia papers in June 2018. He joined McClatchy in 2010 as a member of the Ledger-Enquirer advertising sales team before advancing into expanded responsibilities, including senior leadership roles on the corporate advertising and sales enablement teams. In 2018, McDuffie was named to the “25 Under 35” list by Editor & Publisher magazine.

“Ross McDuffie is an incredible leader, and has done a tremendous job serving the Georgia communities,” Mahone said. “I can’t thank him enough for his partnership and years of service to McClatchy and the Georgia region.”

Said McDuffie: “While it’s difficult to leave McClatchy, I’m blessed to have been given an opportunity to make an impact.”

“Even after dedicating more than a decade of my career in support of local journalism, I’m still awed daily by the work our teams do and the mission they serve. The challenges that we’ve faced have at times seemed insurmountable, but what we faced in the way of obstacles has always been matched by the fearless fortitude of our pursuit of truth and a sustainable path forward. I will be forever grateful to have been a part of that journey.”

The news leadership at the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph will remain unchanged. Executive Editor Blake Kaplan will continue overseeing both papers with Senior Editor Lauren Gorla working in Columbus and Senior Editor Caleb Slinkard in Macon.

McClatchy operates 30 media companies in 15 states, providing each of its communities with high-quality news and advertising services in a wide array of digital and print formats.