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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Mike Murray, current vice president of circulation for Civitas Media &#8212; Times Leader&#8217;s parent company &#8212; was named publisher of the Times Leader Media Group Thursday. He begins in Wilkes-Barre May 9.</p><p>Murray, 65, joined Civitas Media in August 2014 as vice president of circulation. He has over 45 years experience in executive management roles, according to his Civitas Media biography.</p><p>Before joining Civitas, Murray worked for American Consolidated Media, holding positions in both Texas and Maryland, and Thomson Newspapers, in Welsley Hill, Massachusetts.</p><p>He has advertising experience as president of DFM Associates Inc., an advertising agency in Philadelphia.</p><p>As publisher, Murray will oversee the daily operations of the Times Leader, Sunday Dispatch, Abington Journal, Dallas Post and Weekender.</p><p>Murray believes &#8220;we&#8217;ve already established ourselves as the news leader in the community.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;(I have) a lot of enthusiasm (with the new position),&#8221; he said.</p><p>Murray and his wife, Debbie, have four children and six grandchildren.</p><p>A close friend, with whom Murray has worked for years, told him he&#8217;s &#8220;going to love it here,&#8221; Murray said.</p><p>Additionally, he is looking forward to becoming active in the community, previously having sat on state boards of Boy Scouts and regional Boys and Girls clubs.</p><p>&#8220;I want to get active; I want to meet community leaders,&#8221; Murray said.</p><p>Murray succeeds Doug Olsson, who has accepted the position as publisher at The Lima News in Ohio, another Civitas Media owned paper.</p><p>&#8220;Mike is inheriting a terrific staff of dedicated individuals who understand they&#8217;re working for more than just a company, but for an institution that plays a significant role in the community,&#8221; Olsson said in an email. &#8220;The commitment to high journalistic standards is at the heart of all we do.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Murray </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_mikemurray.jpg</photo0><caption0>Murray </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Mike Murray named publisher of Times Leader Media Group