GARDEN CITY, NY — Richner Communications, Inc. (RCI), has announced the appointment of Bradley M. Harmon as its chief operating officer.
In this role, Harmon will oversee company-wide operations, revenue strategy, product development and organizational performance across the third-generation, family-owned company’s portfolio of 27 local news brands in New York, along with RCI's printing, manufacturing and in-person events businesses.
Harmon joins RCI from Advance Local, where he most recently served as president and publisher of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com. Previously, he held the same roles at the Columbus Dispatch for GateHouse Media, winning GateHouse's Publisher of the Year award in 2018. Earlier in his career, Harmon served as vice president of sales for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, a Gannett publication.
With more than two decades in local media leadership, Harmon has successfully scaled high-performing teams, launched new revenue lines, and modernized newsroom and business operations. He has managed organizations with hundreds of employees and nine figures of revenue, led newsrooms and business teams through periods of significant industry disruption, and developed successful vertical sales strategies across a variety of sectors.
Harmon is an active civic leader, serving on the boards of numerous community and philanthropic organizations, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Greater Cleveland Partnership and Cleveland Food Bank.
“We are excited to welcome Brad to our team,” said Zachary Richner, director of RCI. “Brad's track record of building positive cultures, attracting top talent and driving revenue with innovative products will support our growth and reinforce our people-first strategy.”
Stuart Richner, CEO of RCI said, “Brad's reputation in the industry speaks for itself. I look forward to RCI's reaching new heights under Brad's leadership.”
Harmon said, “Richner Communications combines a deep respect for local journalism with an ambitious vision for the future. I’m excited to join a family-owned organization that is committed to its communities, team members and long-term growth.”
About Richner Communications, Inc.:
Richner Communications, Inc. (RCI), is a third-generation, family-owned local media company headquartered in Garden City, New York. Founded in 1964, the company publishes 27 weekly newspapers, including the Long Island Herald and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Riverdale Press, serving over 80 communities across Long Island and the greater New York metropolitan area. RCI is a nationally recognized leader in industry advocacy and spearheaded New York's groundbreaking Empire State Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program. RCI's sister company, Richner Printing LLC, is one of the region’s largest commercial printers, providing printing and production services to community newspapers, periodicals and direct mail campaigns.
