Wayne Kasich will be stepping down after 12 years as publisher of The Daily Journal and North Star Publishing. Rob Davenport will take over as publisher today.

Kasich will remain on staff to assist the company with commercial printing sales, in particular exploring new markets for flexographic printing. This project will require some travel to companies throughout the region.

“I’ve chosen not to fully retire at this time and the company has offered me an opportunity to continue to work at a lesser capacity. I’d like to stay active and feel I can best serve the company by bringing in new clients,” said Kasich.

Davenport said that he was flattered to be considered for the publisher position. He said that most people will not notice the difference as he begins to oversee newspaper and printing operations.

“Wayne and I have been working together since 2006 and he has taught me a great deal,” said Davenport.

“The transition should be fairly smooth,” he added. “It is wonderful to be in a building full of such great people.”

Davenport came from Ohio, where he studied elementary education and was in restaurant management before getting into media sales and management with the Sentinel-Tribune in Bowling Green, Ohio.

“I learned a great deal about newspapers and fell in love with the industry,” he said.

Davenport said he enjoys working with each department and seeing how they all interact with each other.

“That is what I find exciting and challenging,” he added.

Kasich started with the sales staff in 1977 at The Daily Journal. He moved to the company’s newspaper location in Hutchinson in 1981 and became publisher. He returned to manage The Daily Journal and North Star Publishing in 1996. He presided over a company move from downtown in 1998 to its current 28,000 square foot west side location. It helped to expand the commercial printing side of the business.

During his time with North Star Publishing, Davenport introduced online and multimedia projects, including Bronco Radio online sports coverage and video marketing profiles for area communities, and started a Web design company, North Star Interactive.

Davenport is a board member of the Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and serves on its Economic Development Committee. He and spouse, Danielle, have a 4-year-old daughter, Autumn, and a 6-week-old son, Andy. They enjoy gardening and life on Rainy Lake.

“We really enjoy the area,” he said. “There is nothing better than taking the boat on the lake and trying to catch a couple of walleye.”

Kasich and his spouse, Mary Ann, have two grown daughters, Rana and Mari, and reside in Ranier.

Mickie Olson will take over as advertising manager. She began in sales with the company in 1996 and became the advertising traffic manager in 2001.

Olson said her management responsibilities expand to sales and composition staff, and that she will have a larger role in strategies and promotions.

“I look forward to leading this talented, hard working team of advertising sales and designers,” said Olson.