SND names new executive director: Orlando Sentinel’s Stephen Komives
The announcement was made this afternoon at the Sentinel and on the SND web site.
Sentinel AME Bonita Burton — who also happens to be the society’s acting president — announced:
I’m sorry to announce that Design Editor Stephen Komives is leaving the Sentinel to become Executive Director of the Society for News Design. In keeping with our luck, his last day will be Friday, Nov. 13.
SND is the largest organization in the world for visual journalists with members in more than 50 countries. As executive director, Stephen will be responsible for the day-to-day management and long-term strategy of the society and its nonprofit education and research arm, the SND Foundation. You can read the press release here.
Stephen leaves a legacy of creativity, innovation and sky’s-the-limit thinking. He joined the paper as its first design editor five years ago and has been a force for change ever since. He successfully led the team through several challenging transitions, including multiple redesigns and staff reorganizations, launch of new sections, Tribune content-sharing initiatives and the move to a digital-first newsroom. And, of course, he literally wrote the book on alternative storytelling techniques. His boundless imagination and thoughtful coaching are directly responsible for the team we have today — since his arrival, Sentinel designers have dominated state competitons and won an unprecedented 23 awards in SND’s international design competition.
Please join me in congratulating Stephen on his new role, and stay tuned for details of an alternatively formatted farewell.
A graduate of the University of Connecticut and he holder of a master’s degree from Columbia University, Stephen served as news editor of the New Mexican of Santa Fe before moving to the Savannah, Ga., Morning News in 1995. After ten years in Savannah — seven as planning editor — Stephen became the Sentinel’s design editor.
In making its selection, the search committee lauded Komives for his deep understanding of the issues facing SND, his strong ideas about driving membership and participation, his fortitude in handling big change and his passionate, optimistic leadership style. Komives, who is fluent in Spanish, also has an impressive international background that will facilitate the Society’s global outreach efforts.
Stephen begins his new duties Nov. 16.