Elder named News-Sun editor
By Beth Kramer ekramer@stmedianetwork.com January 9, 2013 7:46PM
Robert K. Elder
Updated: March 11, 2013 2:22AM
Robert K. Elder has been named the editor of Lake County region for Sun-Times Media.
Elder will oversee the Lake County News-Sun and enhance digital efforts across all suburban properties, including The News-Sun’s sister Pioneer Press publications.
“Rob brings an enormous amount of experience in building strong digital reporting teams,” said Jim Kirk, Sun-Times Media editor in chief. “As we look to broaden our audience in Lake County and across the Chicago region, Rob will play a key role in helping us serve readers both in print and on multiple digital platforms.’”
Elder, 36, started Monday. He said the company’s push for “digital first” attracted him to the company.
“It’s the right philosophy. It’s a company that has a strong legacy of suburban news,” Elder said. “The innovation and energy of the company attracted me.”
Digital first means that the goal is to have up-to-the-moment breaking news updates on the publications’ Web sites and social media accounts. Dedication to the print product remains intact, Elder said.
He said he is speeding up the momentum in the newsroom and helping to foster communication between readers and the newsroom.
“We want to give people the news that matters to them, no matter which platform they’re using, whether it’s their laptop, mobile phone or physical newspaper,” Elder said.
Before he joined Sun-Times Media, Elder was the founding managing editor of DNAInfo.com in Chicago. He was a regional editor for AOL Huffington Post Media Group’s Patch.com, where he helped develop and launch the first suburban Patch sites in the Midwest.
He worked as a staff writer at the Chicago Tribune for a decade. He is a native of Montana and graduate of the University of Oregon.
He resides in Oak Park with his wife and 4-year-old twins.
“I know and love Lake County. We’re fans of the Lake County Fair, especially the demolition derby. We (also) love the Chain O’ Lakes. I have knowledge and affection for the area,” Elder said.
