Business Briefs - August 30, 2018
STAFF CHANGES AT THE DANIEL ISLAND NEWS
Ronda Schilling, longtime advertising sales representative at The Daniel Island News, has been promoted to advertising director. A Daniel Island resident, Ronda was born and raised in Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri and received her Bachelor of Science degree in health-related professions, specializing in respiratory therapy. Ronda later worked for the University Hospital and Clinics in Columbia, Missouri, for 10 years as Register Respiratory Therapist with six of those years as a supervisor. She moved to South Carolina in 1998 and transitioned to life as a “stay-at-home” mom.
Ronda started working for The Daniel Island News in February of 2006 to do a special summer advertising campaign. Since then, she has remained with the paper, logging in some 12 years of service assisting clients with their advertising needs.
“I am very excited about being the ad director and look forward to working together with The Daniel Island News team and our clients to keep The Daniel Island News the ‘go-to paper’ for what is happening on the island and Clements Ferry Road,” Ronda said of her new position.
In another recent staff change, Brooks Finneseth has joined The Daniel Island News as a marketing consultant and advertising sales representative. Brooks, his wife and their two sons moved to Daniel Island five years ago from Louisville, Kentucky. His wife’s family (her mother, brother and sister-in-law and nephew) also live on the island.
“With more than 16 years of experience, I am looking forward to being able to match our advertisers’ messages with our engaged, community-minded readers,” said Brooks. “Many of my years in newspaper have been with Gannett, serving as an account executive with The Cincinnati Enquirer and the Courier Journal in Louisville.”
Brooks discovered the importance of community newspapers while serving as general manager of the News Democrat with Landmark Publications, and most recently with Summerville Communications, where he spent four years splitting his time between The Journal Scene, The Gazette and The Berkeley Independent.
“As a marketing consultant, and then later as the sales manager, I was able to work with various types of local businesses to bring their advertising message to our local markets in a multi-platform delivery system,” said Brooks. “From traditional print to digital and social, to email blasts and event marketing, today’s community newspapers have all the tools as the larger dailies. What separates community newspapers from the rest of the advertising streams traditionally available is our hyper-local content. No one else covers the news of Daniel Island and our growing surrounding areas like The Daniel Island News.”
Suzanne Detar, owner and publisher of The Daniel Island News, is pleased to welcome both Ronda and Brooks to their new roles.
“I’m excited to expand our sales team,” she said. “Ronda has been with the paper for over 12 years and will continue her exceptional customer service along with managing the team. Brooks comes to the paper with extensive newspaper and marketing experience, which he is ready to share and use to help our customers.”