AIM Media Indiana on Friday announced the appointment of Ernest “Bud” Hunt as publisher at The Republic in Columbus, Ind., and as vice president and group publisher with responsibility for all AIM Media properties in Indiana.
The announcement was made jointly by Jeremy L. Halbreich, chairman and CEO and by Rick Starks, president and COO. Hunt’s transition is effective Jan. 1.
In this new role, Hunt will be responsible for the daily newspapers in Columbus, Franklin, Greenfield and Seymour; weekly newspapers in Nashville, Brownstown, Pendleton, New Palestine and Fortville-McCordsville; DigitalAIM, the digital marketing services operation; a magazine and special publications division; and all affiliated websites and digital assets.
Most recently, Hunt served as vice president and group publisher for AIM Media Midwest, an affiliated AIM Media company, with responsibility for media operations in Southern Ohio, Southeastern Ohio and Western West Virginia. AIM Media Midwest owns The Times-Gazette, Wilmington News Journal and The Record Herald in Washington Court House.
Hunt and his wife Lee will relocate to Columbus, Ind., from Wilmington shortly after the new year.
“It is a great privilege for us to welcome Bud to Columbus and to join our team in Indiana,” said Halbreich. “He is a highly experienced, accomplished and successful publishing executive who will bring a great deal of energy, enthusiasm and strong leadership to the Republic and to the entire Indiana community.”
“Bud is deeply committed to the communities he serves through our various media properties. He is fair, open-minded and always a straight shooter,” Halbreich added.
Earlier in his career, Hunt served from 2014-2016 as regional publisher and regional sales director for Civitas Media, from 1992-2014 in various roles including publisher, regional publisher and vice president for Rust Communications, and from 1987-1992 as editor and general manager for Park Newspapers. Prior to the publishing industry, he worked in sales at Whirlpool and RCA Service.
Hunt has always been active in local civic and community affairs with his past and present service ranging across chambers of commerce, United Way, boy scouts, rotary, the health and transportation needs of his local communities, and his church. He has also served on the boards of state press associations in Missouri and Ohio.
Hunt is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn., a private Christian liberal arts college founded in 1901 with the mission of providing education for leadership and service.
Hunt’s appointment follows the announcement last week by Chuck Wells, his predecessor in these roles, resigning to acquire a private business serving Columbus and southern Indiana.
