Daniel P. Finnegan, a veteran journalist who has been responsible in large part for leading the Richmond Times-Dispatch into the digital age, has been named editor of the newspaper, effective June 2.
He will succeed Glenn Proctor, who retires June 1.
Finnegan, 48, who joined the newspaper in 1987, has held various roles over the years, from sports copy editor to his current position as senior editor in charge of digital operations.
In 1998, he led the newspaper's conversion to digital production. Last year, he played a central role in the redesign of the paper's website and most recently launched PolitiFactVirginia.com, a political fact-checking service in partnership with the Pulitzer Prize-winning national website PolitiFact.com.
News of Finnegan's appointment was shared with newsroom staff Friday afternoon by Rick Thornton, vice president for audience and content development at Richmond Media Group, which includes The Times-Dispatch.
"I don't need to tell you guys what kind of impact Danny's had on this room over the last 23, 24 years," said Thornton, a former editor who worked closely with Finnegan for years. "Pretty much every big initiative that we've had in this room, at least over the last 10 years, he's been at the heart of."
Finnegan, joined by his two young children clutching his legs, gave a gracious and at times emotional speech.
"I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of (former editors) Alf Goodykoontz, Bill Millsaps and Glenn Proctor," he said, choking up while thanking current managers and editors for their efforts in recent years.
"It's a talented, tireless group. I look at these people and I know the sacrifices that they make for this newspaper," he said. "They're the ones who have to be here when it just has to happen."
Paige Mudd, senior editor in charge of news, noted that Finnegan's appointment was not surprising to most in the newsroom.
"He was the perfect choice," said Mudd, who will be the No. 2 editor in the newsroom. "Danny is the most talented and creative journalist I've ever known, and it will be an honor working for him. He's a great mentor and a great friend."
Brice Anderson, the newsroom's night editor, has worked with Finnegan since the merger of The Richmond News Leader and The Times-Dispatch in 1992.
"Danny Finnegan has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known in the workplace, and that's what makes him a great leader," he said. "He cares about the newsroom, he cares about our community, and he cares about our industry. We will be in excellent hands."
Finnegan, who grew up in Hampton, holds a degree in mass communications from James Madison University and is a 2005 graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond. He sits on the board of the Virginia Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
"The time is right for Danny and he is the right editor to push the newsroom deeper into the digital future, keep up the aggressive level of journalism and produce more watchdog content," Proctor said. "It's been a great run for me at The Times-Dispatch and I am very grateful for that. Now, it's Danny's time to do the job better than I have. I am very proud of him."
Thomas A. Silvestri, president and publisher of The Times-Dispatch, called Finnegan "a new editor for a new era."
"The editor position is at the center of the rapid transformation of media and the important role journalism plays in a community," Silvestri said. "Finnegan understands it from the ground up, which provides valuable leadership insight."
Speaking to the newsroom, Finnegan addressed the challenges of moving forward in the ever-evolving media landscape, stressing the importance of maintaining a quality print product while embracing change in other ways.
"It is a little scary and we're going to have to all work together to stay focused and stay moving in the right direction, but I think we really do have a lot of things going for us," he said.
"It's all about the journalism," Finnegan said, borrowing a familiar phrase from Proctor.
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