After a year at the helm of the Turlock Journal, Hank Vander Veen was named group publisher of Morris Newspapers of Northern California. The MNC group includes the Journal, Ceres Courier, Oakdale Leader, Escalon Times, Riverbank News, Manteca Bulletin and Ripon Bulletin. Vander Veen also spent 25 years with the McClatchy Company in several management positions including Publisher of the Merced Sun-Star.

“We are very excited for Hank in his new position as group publisher. He has exhibited leadership and vision as publisher of Turlock, and we look forward to great things to come from the group,” said Charles Hill Morris, Jr. of Morris Multimedia.

Since coming to the Journal, and MNC group, Vander Veen has made community partnerships a priority. He has sought to further engage readers in their hometown newspapers, while promoting local business and industry.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the efforts of our Morris Multimedia print publications and web products in Central California. We will continue to focus on local news in each of our distinct publications while offering a joint regional approach for extended market presence for our advertising partners,” Vander Veen said.

Vander Veen will continue to live in Ripon and work out of the Turlock Journal and Ceres Courier office, located at 138 S. Center St., in Turlock. He can be reached at hvanderveen@morrismultimedia.com or by calling 209-634-9141.

Also in the MNC group, Jennifer Marek will be leaving as general manager of the weekly Oakdale Leader-Riverbank News-Escalon Times papers to become publisher of the daily Manteca Bulletin. The longtime Manteca resident started with the Manteca Bulletin in 2004 in advertising sales. Marek was promoted to classified manager and then advertising manager before being named general manager for Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon in 2006.

“Local newspapers are vital to the fabric of every community as they are the only place you can go to get news of your community whether it is city council coverage, high school football games or things happening in your schools and neighborhood,” Marek said.

Marek will work out of the Manteca Bulletin office, located at 531 E. Yosemite Ave., in Manteca. She can be reached at jmarek@mantecabulletin.com or by calling 209-249-3503.

A search is currently under way to find a new General Manager in Oakdale.