Editor’s Note: There’s a lot of news going unreported in the news business in NH so we are taking a stab at keeping you in the loop. Today, we launch What’s News NH with the news that Paul Miller is taking a new post at the Keene Family YMCA. Please contribute your news news by emailing it to nancywestnews@gmail.com.
By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
Longtime Keene Sentinel executive editor Paul Miller will be leaving the newspaper at the end of the month to become the development and community impact director at the Keene Family YMCA.
“Paul will leave a lasting legacy of service and commitment to The Sentinel and community journalism over his 36 years here,” said Publisher Tom Ewing in a memo to the staff. “He cut his teeth with us as a sports reporter, advanced to become sports editor and then moved to general news editing before becoming managing editor and, more recently, executive editor in charge of all news operations.”
Miller said he is excited about the next step and also “filled with mixed emotions.”
His love of the Keene Family YMCA is well-known and his friends and supporters are pleased he will be staying in the Keene area. Miller’s known, too, for his love of hiking, exercising, and good times with good friends. His occasional “Out in Public” column has shined a bright light on the people, places and politics of the region.
And besides managing the daily operations of the newsroom and SentinelSource.com, the paper’s online version, during these years, he has been responsible for the direction, standards and policies of the news operation, as well as their implementation, Ewing said.
Miller has been local news editor Anika Clark’s mentor at The Sentinel, someone who would make sure he took time to meet one on one with reporters.
“He always had his roots as a reporter and always paid attention to the writing,” Clark said. “It’s what I personally admired and learned most from him.” And how he always stressed the importance of putting information in context the reader could understand.
Clark moved to another paper for a bit, but when she came back, she continued to learn from Miller.
“The thing I’ll miss the most is he’s one of my mentors,” Clark said. Miller was mentor to many reporters over the years. “He’s someone who teaches and inspires them,” Clark said.
During Miller’s period of leadership, he has skillfully navigated the news operation through significant changes. Not the least of which includes overseeing the transition to significant digital news operations spearheading the well conceived and successful launch of the newspaper’s weekend edition, Ewing said.
“(He) has served with skill, passion and good humor and a commitment to journalistic excellence that has not only benefitted the many reporters, editors and other staff he has trained and nurtured, but also has been instrumental in helping it further The Sentinel’s now 220-year role in serving our region’s news and information needs,” Ewing said.
Ewing also pointed out Miller’s impact throughout New England through the many boards and programs on which he served.
Miller’s last day at The Sentinel will be Aug. 29.