John Hacker, longtime area newspaper reporter and editor, has been named Managing Editor of The Carthage Press.

Hacker’s appointment is effective immediately, where he will take charge of the paper’s five-person editorial staff.

“I’m very flattered by this opportunity,” Hacker said. “We have a great staff and a unique opportunity to provide the citizens of Carthage with unparalleled coverage of this community.
“Everyone in Carthage has a potential story to tell and there are many organizations, groups and individuals who contribute to the community. We want to do our best to tell as many of those stories as possible.”

This is Hacker’s third stint with the Carthage Press. Previously, he served as sports editor in 1995 and lifestyles editor in 1998. He returned to the Press as staff writer in March 2007.

Hacker has also worked in many other communities in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, including the Joplin Globe for more than six years. He also worked in radio for six months, helped create the newspaper in Carl Junction and was editor of the Joplindaily.com, an innovative, ahead-of-its-time venture to provide an online news source in Joplin.

Hacker graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1995. He graduated from Harrisonville High School in 1984.

News reporter Kevin McClintock has also been promoted to Associate Editor, where he will help Hacker with day-to-day operations.

McClintock, Hacker said, “brings special management skills to the paper and a writing style I think people have enjoyed reading.”

McClintock has been with the Carthage Press’ parent company, Gatehouse Media, since 2001, serving primarily as a corporate and specialty publications writer. He’s also worked for a half-dozen newspapers in three states, including the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. and the Joplin Globe.

McClintock graduated from MSSU with a BS in communications in 1994. He graduated from Webb City High School in 1989.

“We have a staff that’s uniquely-qualified to cover this community,” Hacker said. “I would call the combination of Design Editor David Hoover, Sports Editor Cody Dyer, McClintock and staff writers Linda Rainey and Alexandria Nicolas a dream team when it comes to covering a community like Carthage.”