John Whittaker of Jamestown has been named editor of The Post-Journal.
Whittaker replaces Cristie Herbst, who is retiring after 30 years as editor and 40 years at the paper. He will assume editor duties on Monday, Jan. 7.
"I am proud to name John as the editor of The Post-Journal," said Publisher Mike Bird. "He has a wealth of knowledge of this community as well as a strong commitment. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to promote a local resident to such an important position that sets the tone within the community they choose to call their home. I have the utmost confidence in John and I am looking forward to working with him in magnifying issues that are crucial to area residents and readers."
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John Whittaker
Whittaker is a longtime area resident, graduating from Panama Central School in 1995. He attended Allegheny College, majoring in political science. He began his career with The Post-Journal as a part-time sportswriter in 1997 before working as a town and village reporter, education reporter and city reporter. He was named the paper's region editor in 2004 before being appointed city editor. He is Downtown Jamestown Development Corp. board president and is a member of the Jamestown Local Development Corp.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to lead The Post-Journal's newsroom into the future," Whittaker said. "The Post-Journal has a strong history as an award-winning community newspaper, and it's a tradition I look forward to continuing in the years to come."
Whittaker and his wife, Shelley, live in Jamestown.