Tony Hazarian, Publisher
Tony Hazarian has been publisher of the Auburn Journal since March 2006.
Born and raised in San Jose, Hazarian returned to California after nearly 15 years in the Pacific Northwest as an editor, marketing director and circulation manager for community and daily newspapers in the Puget Sound. His newspaper career has spanned 25 years and across several states after graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.
"Newspapers are not only relevant to everyday life, they are the chronicles of our modern history. And at the local level, they reflect and lead the community," Hazarian said. "It's a tremendous challenge and a wonderful opportunity to make a difference that we all take very seriously."
Outside the office, Hazarian enjoys golf, running, church activities, landscaping, cooking and wine. He lives in Roseville with his wife, Kate, and Kate’s children, Jessica and Scott. His daughter, Shea Hazarian, is in her senior year of high school and plans to attend college in the Bay Area in Fall 2010.
Hazarian is on the board of directors for the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, and will be the chamber’s president in 2011. He is a member of Auburn Gold Country Rotary, a trustee for Leadership Auburn, and a member of the Placer SPCA marketing committee.
Deric Rothe, senior editor/general manager
Deric Rothe took the reins as editor of the Auburn Journal in March 1997. Rothe came to the Journal from the Sacramento Bee, where he was editor of the Elk Grove-Laguna Neighbors section. He grew up in Davis and is a California State University, Chico graduate. Rothe has won numerous California Newspaper Publishers Association, Society of Better Newspapers and Brehm Communications awards for feature reporting, editorial writing, promotion of literacy, front-page design, editorial pages and more.
"What I love about community journalism is dealing every day with issues and stories that directly affect people's lives," Rothe said. "Everyone has a story to tell. You just have to listen."
Along with his passion for news, Rothe enjoys skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking and playing foosball on the Tornado table soccer professional tour. Rothe is the founder and chairman of the Auburn Community Festival and its giant pumpkin contest. He is also a member of Auburn Rotary Club. Rothe serves on the Rotary club's program committee and with its Thousand Smiles clinics in Mexico that benefit indigent children.
He and his wife, Carmen, a local real estate professional, have three daughters and spend their free time enjoying the foothills and fixing up their home on the edge of the American River canyon.
Jim Easterly, Gold Country Printing General Manager
Jim Easterly joined the team as general manager of Gold Country Printing in April 2004 bringing with him a wealth of press, printing and installation experience.
Gold Country Printing prints 17 company publications and serves more than 50 outside clients. Jim is a consultant for all Brehm Communication pressrooms in seven states including Iowa, Arizona, Utah and California.
Jim has been in the printing business since 1979 in one facet or another. Before moving from his native Washington to California Jim worked as general manager for Olympic Cascade publishing in Gig Harbor, Wash.
He said his fascination with the printing process began at an early age.
“I delivered newspapers every day for years on a bike,” he said. “I was always fascinated by the presses.”
At his first job, at the Sunnyside Daily News in Washington, Jim learned the printing and press business from the ground up.
“I am interested in all aspects of printing and production from the imaging computer to plate all the way through to printing and bindery,” he said.
Jim grew up on a ranch in Washington and attended Yakima Valley Community College where he studied offset printing.
In what little spare time he has Jim can usually be found wrenching on this 1965 Ford Falcon hot rod, riding dirt bikes with his two sons, camping or working on his sprawling Cool property with his wife of 20 years, Adena.
Staci Burns, Business Manager
Staci Burns joined Gold Country Media as Business Manager in January 2005. She is new to California but already considers it “home.”
“I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” Burns said. “There is definitely something to be said for the sun shining every day.”
Previously Burns was employed as Senior Accountant/Analyst for The Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest metro newspaper. She was also General Accounting Manager for Thomson Newspaper’s Penn-Ohio group, rounding out 10 years newspaper experience.
Burns, a certified public accountant, earned her MBA from Regis University in Denver and attained Senior Graduate Faculty status for the Keller Graduate School of Management where she teaches accounting and IS courses.
Along with her passion for the publishing business and education, she enjoys creative writing, fitness training and skiing.