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Sun-Gazette names Janssen as editor

Lock promoted to city editor; Troisi remains as opinion editor

L. Lee Janssen, longtime news editor of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, has been named editor of the Sun-Gazette, effective today. The announcement was made recently to newsroom staff by Bernard A. Oravec, Sun-Gazette publisher.

The move is part of a succession plan as David F. Troisi, editor of the Sun-Gazette for 23 years, transitions into retirement. Troisi will become editorial page editor and will maintain production of all content for the opinion pages, writing the editorials and managing reader letters to the Sun-Gazette. Troisi also will create and distribute editorials on statewide topics to multiple Pennsylvania publications, including the Altoona Mirror, Lewistown Sentinel, Lock Haven Express, Uniontown Herald Standard and the Warren Times Observer.

“We have qualified personnel to take over leadership of the editorial department,” Troisi said. “I am confident they will continue the newsroom’s excellence and award-winning tradition.”

Janssen will take over management of the editorial staff while maintaining responsibility for daily news content and communication between the Sun-Gazette newsroom, the general public and readers.

Additionally, Becky Lock is being promoted to city editor. In that role, she will help in the production of the editorial department’s daily news digest and coverage plans.

Not only does Janssen become the first female to head the Sun-Gazette’s editorial department, the combination of her and Lock make for the first all-female team to lead the newsroom, noted Oravec.

A city native, Janssen, a 33-year veteran of the Sun-Gazette newsroom, worked her way through reporting on education, city government and federal courts before joining the editing desk in 1997, when she became region editor. She was named city editor in 2000 and news editor early in 2002.

As news editor, Janssen has coordinated coverage of news stories and photographs among the full-time staff and correspondents and planned the news digests for the daily edition. She also coordinates and develops content for the front page of the Sunday edition, which is the largest edition each week, as well as a number of special projects. Those range from pre-election political sections to the Sun-Gazette’s annual Person of the Year project.

She came to the newspaper after four years in the Air Force, most of that time stationed at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, Texas, followed by four years of college. A Williamsport Area High School graduate, she received an associate degree from the former Williamsport Area Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, both in journalism. She is the daughter of Donald W. Sr. and Hazel Koch, of Williamsport.

“I am very pleased to promote Laura to editor. It is always exciting to reward a veteran employee with an opportunity of this scale. She has truly earned this honor. I am confident that we will have a very smooth and seamless transition, while continuing to provide our community with the best local news coverage available,” Oravec said.

“It has been my privilege to be part of the Sun-Gazette news team, and I look forward to this next chapter in my career,” Janssen said. “I look forward to working with Becky in her new role and to leading the team into the future. Also, I want to thank Bernie for this opportunity and wish Dave the best as he moves toward retirement.”

“I am confident that Laura’s 33 years of newsroom experience will be put to good use as editor,” Oravec said. “I believe our readers will be pleased with the continuity in local coverage in their community newspaper.”

Lock, the daughter of Martha and the late Martin Lock, of Mifflintown, Juniata County, joined the Sun-Gazette in 2002 as education reporter. She helped to develop the weekly Education section and wrote articles for a variety of sections, including Entertainment, Region and Outdoors, as well as the daily newspaper. She is a graduate of Juniata High School and a 1995 graduate of Shippensburg University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism.

Early in 2007, Lock was promoted to the editing desk, where she and fellow copy editors put together the next day’s edition each night, editing copy, designing eye-catching pages and working as a team to educate and inform readers. She has served as editor of the Health and Sunday Outdoors, Travel and Region sections.

“Becky’s experience with the newsroom staff and understanding of our community will go a long way to maintaining a solid foundation of creative, interesting and compelling newspaper sections,” Oravec said. “I am very proud to promote Becky to this new position.”

“I am looking forward to my next position within the Sun-Gazette,” said Lock, who now lives in Williamsport. “I hope to continue to address the needs of our readers and give them a newspaper they can be proud of.”

Troisi, a city native, is a 1971 graduate of Williamsport Area High School and a 1975 graduate of the University of North Carolina, from which he has a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is the son of the late Robert L. and Gloria E. Troisi.

During 42-plus years at the Sun-Gazette, he has progressed from sports/news reporter, to City Hall reporter, to copy editor to city editor to editor.

“It’s been a dream-come-true career to do what I have wanted to do since the seventh grade,” he said. “And to be editor of my hometown newspaper and have a chance to be involved in my community through my role the past 23 years has been an honor and privilege I can’t put into words.”

“Troisi has been both a leader at our newspaper and a positive influence in the community,” Oravec said. “His experience as editor and his lifelong knowledge of our community will continue to benefit our readers on every editorial page.”

Troisi added: “I am so thankful to all the reporters, editors, photographers, graphics artists and Sun-Gazette personnel throughout the building with whom I have gotten to work. So many of them have made it exciting to come to work every day and have made my job easier.”

“I am grateful for David’s offer to continue as editorial page editor during his transition to retirement,” Oravec added. “I would like to keep him at the Sun-Gazette as long as I can. He has assembled a good team of reporters and editors and his influence on the pages of the Sun-Gazette will be noticed many years into the future. I thank David for his service and wish him a very long, prosperous and happy retirement.”

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