Miami Herald announces new leaders in top management roles

The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald have announced new leaders to senior roles in the company as part of key changes and realignment of the newsroom’s management, Executive Editor Monica Richardson said Monday.

Three veteran journalists were named to the newsroom’s top leadership, as well as a new general manager.

Bob McFarlin, who had been senior director of infrastructure and security for McClatchy, parent company of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, will expand his role and assume general manager duties for the two South Florida news organizations.

In this role, he will take on some operational responsibilities previously held by Nancy Meyer, who announced last week that she is leaving the Herald organization in January to be publisher of the Houston Chronicle.

McFarlin lives in Miami and worked with the Herald for several years. His broad experience and understanding of McClatchy, the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald will be an asset to the news operation, McClatchy Chairman and CEO Tony Hunter said recently in announcing McFarlin’s new role.

“As a part of this organization for over 28 years, I’ve always been in awe of the very important work our newsrooms perform on a daily basis,” McFarlin said. “I look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence in journalism and providing this service to the Miami community.”

McFarlin will work alongside Richardson in leading the Miami organization.

Richardson became the executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, and McClatchy’s Florida regional editor, at the beginning of this year after nearly 15 years in leadership at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Richardson announced Monday that Dana Banker, managing editor of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, will join the Miami Herald in January as the Herald’s senior managing editor. In this role, Banker will succeed Rick Hirsch, who in November announced he would be retiring as managing editor at the end of December after more than 42 years at the Herald.

At the Sun Sentinel, Banker helped lead her staff to two Pulitzer Prize Gold Medals for Public Service, among other awards. She has been the Sentinel’s managing editor for six years, overseeing all newsroom departments from audience development to investigations.

“It is an honor to work with such a talented newsroom team in such a diverse and dynamic region,” Banker said. “Together we will make sure the Herald continues to be a force of accountability and required reading for everyone in our community.”

Banker’s appointment was one of several major management changes under Richardson.

Last month, Richardson announced the promotion of Alex Mena to managing editor. Mena, who has been with the Herald for more than 26 years, will help oversee Miami newsroom operations, with direct oversight over el Nuevo Herald.

Also joining the Herald next month as deputy managing editor for local news is Tabassum “Toby” Zakaria. She has overseen coverage of the White House, Congress, politics and national security as managing editor of McClatchy’s Washington Bureau.

Richardson said growth of the staff and the new management structure will help ensure “focus on producing more of the compelling and definitive local journalism, for which we are known, and that we can strengthen our community connections across diverse communities to reach more readers and have greater impact through our service and mission.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 7:43 PM.