Mike Gugliotto, who completed a successful 33-year career in newspaper management in January 2019 as the president and CEO of Pioneer News Group, was honored Tuesday at the America’s Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference, with the Inland Foundation Distinguished Service Award.
The award was presented by Marc Wilson, a former board president of the Inland Press Foundation. Wilson is the founder and chairman of BLOX Digital and a former chairman of the Inland Press Foundation. He also serves as a director of the America’s Newspapers Foundation.
“I have to say,” Wilson said in presenting the award, “Mike was one of the most dedicated media executives I know. He worked hard with each unit in his company and was always willing and able to help his peers throughout the industry. He was — and is — always great company!”
He noted that, early in his career, Gugliotto worked for several advertising agencies before joining the Fort Collins Coloradoan as retail advertising manager. He later became advertising director at the Loveland Daily Reporter Herald and then general manager of the Longmont Daily Times-Call, part of the Lehman Communication Group.
He joined Pioneer in early 2002 as chief operating officer and was named president and CEO in 2008.
In accepting the award, Gugliotto talked about how special it was to receive this award at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. He said he grew up 20 minutes southwest of The Broadmoor, where he worked as a dishwasher while in high school. He attended his first newspaper industry conference here ... and his last Inland meeting was here several years ago.
Gugliotto talked about the special place that family newspapers have with the communities they serve. He said one lesson he's always kept with him is that you can't expect the community to buy your products until you first buy into them. He said that means being involved in the community, getting to know people and putting out products that can empower, inform and make a difference.
“I know the landscape is different now,” Gugliotto said. “The economics are different, the landscape is different. But I think that component, no matter who owns the newspaper ... is still essential. If you don't connect with your audience ... how can you expect to deliver a product that they depend on, that they rely on, that they need?”
He thanked his wife Janet for her support, citing the importance of having the support of the person who is your partner in life.
He also talked about how much he gained from industry conferences like Inland and America's Newspapers where “talented, passionate, dedicated, driven, conscientious professionals” can come together to share ideas and talk with each other between the sessions.
“Thank you for this award,” he said. “Thank you for what you've given me ... I'm fortunate and very grateful.”
Among his many professional highlights, Marc Wilson shared the following in recognizing Gugliotto:
He also shared comments made by two of Gugliotto’s colleagues.
Andy Pennington, a regional president and publisher with Adams MultiMedia, said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike in several different capacities throughout my career. Despite his shortcomings in almost every sport imaginable — including fantasy football — Mike stands apart for his unwavering commitment to the people he’s worked with and to this industry. He has been a mentor, guide, boss, colleague, and, above all, a true friend. Those things don’t often go hand in hand, but with Mike, they always did. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and for this incredibly tough business we’ve had the privilege of managing. This recognition is richly deserved.”
Doug Hiemstra, chief operating officer of CFO Systems and formerly with BH Media Group and the Omaha World-Herald, said: “Mike has always assumed a leadership role in whatever he did, from running an individual newspaper to a group of newspapers, to the Inland Foundation. What has always made Mike such a talented leader is he never accepted the status quo, he was always looking for ways to improve. He challenged everyone around him to do the same, making us all better. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to receive the Inland Foundation Distinguished Service Award.”
