Knight-Ridder MD O'Grady Names Six-Member Team

Weeks after she assumed the post, Knight-Ridder Financial Americas' managing director Pat O'Grady has formed a team of six direct reports. The appointments leave Knight-Ridder's organization largely unchanged: Most of those named already performed similar functions in the pre-O'Grady organization.

The biggest change is the addition of Gerald Becker, who joins O'Grady's team from Knight-Ridder's Financial Publishing Group. Becker becomes vice president of marketing, a title he will add to his current title of publisher. Becker's responsibilities will include developing a promotional strategy for the vendor, handling advertising, public relations and trade shows.

Becker had already been named acting director of marketing around the time of the departure of Paul Cooper, Knight-Ridder's previous managing director. Cooper was ousted last May (IMD, May 24), and soon thereafter took up residence as managing director for Liberty Brokerage Inc.'s new information services holding company (IMD, July 6).

"The key management team that reports to Pat was pretty much in place," says Becker. "We're basically just taking them and promoting them."

Gene Shimshock, previously a director, is lifted to vice president for product management. Shimshock's job description comprises some of the more traditional marketing functions, such as managing the vendor's offerings for each market segment and product development.

To handle sales, O'Grady has tapped Chris Devitt, whose title was previously sales director. Shortly before O'Grady joined the vendor, Devitt was elevated to that post by Knight-Ridder Financial president Paul Tucker, who is also O'Grady's boss (IMD, June 21). Devitt becomes vice president, and plans later this week to reorganize his group.

After that reorganization, Knight-Ridder will have four regional sales managers -- based in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles -- and a sales manager for strategic accounts. Each will build a team, including sales support staff, devoted to groups of customers.

Customer service stays within the domain of Dee Wilson, vice president for operations and a fourth direct report to O'Grady. As head of operations, Wilson manages product support and so- called customer operations, or service. He was already a vice president.

A fifth is Kim Wilson, vice president for human resources. O'Grady has charged her with organizational planning, training and the diversification of Knight-Ridder's workforce, according to a spokesperson.

As expected (IMD, July 6), Nigel Duxbury becomes chief financial officer and vice president, reporting to O'Grady. Duxbury joins from Knight-Ridder's London office.