Two of the Milwaukee Newspaper Guild’s most experienced leaders are taking on new responsibilities.
Greg Pearson, a former Local 51 president who was also our longest-serving grievance vice president, has been named postings and exclusions coordinator. Pearson, a copy editor, succeeds former metro reporter Larry Sandler, who left the Journal Sentinel staff in a buyout.
Karen Samelson, an at-large Executive Board member who until recently was our longest-serving membership vice president, is our new communications chair. Samelson, a copy editor, is trading places with page designer Zeina Makky, who was elected last month to succeed Samelson as 2nd vice president.
Pearson and Samelson were among those appointed at the newly elected board’s first meeting earlier this week. The board also picked metro reporter Annysa Johnson, an at-large board member, as health and safety coordinator, filling a post that had been vacant since copy editor John Schumacher moved up to treasurer late last year.
Reappointed were business reporter Tom Content, copy editor Russ Maki and Pearson, as steward leaders; metro reporter Jan Uebelherr, as social chair; investigative reporter Gina Barton, as good and welfare chair; PolitiFact Wisconsin reporter Dave Umhoefer, as wage data coordinator; copy editor Mike Johnson, as benefits coordinator; copy editor Jen Steele, as newsletter editor; and JSOnline production coordinator Craig Nickels as Webmaster. Content is also the local’s secretary and Uebelherr is also an at-large board member.
Steward leader jurisdictions remain under review, while the vice presidents and steward leaders are starting the process of choosing stewards.