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Mitchell named The Southern's circulation manager

By The Southern

Sunday, June 8, 2008 7:16 PM CDT

CARBONDALE - Trisha Mitchell has joined the staff of The Southern Illinoisan as circulation manager.

A native of Zeigler, Mitchell returns to the region from the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho, a Lee Enterprises newspaper. Lee Enterprises is also the parent company of The Southern Illinoisan.

She served as circulation director/audience development manager for the Times-News since 2005. Prior to her move to Idaho, she worked from 2002 to 2005 as circulation sales and marketing manager for the Star-News in Wilmington, N.C., a New York Times newspaper.

Mitchell previously worked at The Southern from 1996 to 2002 as a customer satisfaction supervisor, single copy sales manager and then as circulation sales manager. She is a 1994 graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a degree in finance.

Mitchell said she gained lots of experience during her years away from Southern Illinois and is excited to be back in the region and working for the newspaper.

"I look forward to bringing back new skills to a community and newspaper that mean so much to me," Mitchell said.

Two of her top priorities will be growing readership of the newspaper by strengthening the operation's carrier program and in improving subscriber retention services.

While The Southern has evolved into a multimedia company providing content across a variety of platforms, Mitchell strongly believes in the future of the printed newspaper as well as all of The Southern's products.

"The traditional newspaper will always be here," she said. "Everyone's newspaper is personal to them, and they read it for lots of reasons. Quality delivery of the printed product is a key part of the process as well as in retaining readers, and that will be one of our main focuses. "

Mitchell has her sights set on serving all customers of The Southern. The informational opportunities opened up by The Southern's Web site, www.thesouthern.com, offer a chance for the company to reach a bigger audience.

"We currently have the deepest audience reach in our region through all of our content platforms. We will continue to see increased readership of the online product as well as the traditional newspaper," Mitchell said.

Publisher Dennis DeRossett said, "We are very pleased to have Trisha return to lead our circulation department. Her management skills, circulation knowledge and familiarity with the region are all very beneficial to both the newspaper and to our customers."

As circulation manager, Mitchell will be part of the newspaper's Senior Leadership Team.