The Commercial Appeal
Russell
Mark Russell has been named the new executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, the newspaper announced Wednesday, becoming the first African American to lead the newsroom in the paper’s 176-year-old history.
Russell was serving in the role on an interim basis, following the May departure of the CA’s former editor Louis Graham, who left for a position with American Syrian Lebanese Associated Charities (ALSAC). Russell was also serving as the head of opinion/engagement for the USA Today Network of Tennessee.
Russell was hired as managing editor of the CA in 2013, coming from posts as executive editor and managing editor of The Orlando Sentinel. Russell had also held posts as The Boston Globe, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, and the Wall Street Journal, according to the CA.
