Fladung named editor at St. Paul

The St. Paul (MN) Pioneer Press on Tuesday named Thom Fladung, a former managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal and later at the Detroit Free Press, as its new editor. Fladung replaces Vicki Gowler, who was named editor of The Idaho Statesman.

Both the Pioneer Press and the Statesman, in Boise, are Knight Ridder Inc. papers. The Free Press was a Knight Ridder paper before it was acquired by Gannett Co. in August. Fladung stayed with Knight Ridder through the acquisition.

Fladung was managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal from 2000 to 2002 before returning to the Free Press to take the same title. Fladung, 45, worked as a city editor, news editor, features editor and assistant features editor at the Free Press from 1994 to 2000.

Gowler joined the Pioneer Press as managing editor in 1997 and was promoted to editor in 2001. She will take over a much smaller newspaper in Boise. The Statesman has circulation of 64,815 daily, 85,552 on Sundays, according to Knight Ridder. The Pioneer Press reports daily circulation of 189,458 daily, 253,367 on Sundays.