ACN Newspapers appoints CFO, HR director

By ACN Staff
(Created: Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:40 AM CDT)

The corporate office of American Community Newspapers Inc. has announced the appointment of David Kosofsky as chief financial officer effective Aug. 25 and Carol J. Will as corporate human resources director, effective immediately.

American Community Newspapers Inc. is the parent company of The Little Elm Journal.

Kosofsky will be reporting directly to Gene Carr, chairman and chief executive officer of ACN.

“David’s impressive track record of leading financial operations and his 21 years of domestic and international experience, including about 10 years within the newspaper industry, make him a valuable addition to ACN,” Carr said. “He has demonstrated an ability as a strong financial leader to improve profitability, planning, reporting and control. We look forward to his fresh perspective and seasoned expertise.”

Kosofsky joins ACN from ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Inc., an international provider of security solutions for the hotel industry and a subsidiary of a $5 billion publicly traded Swedish corporation, where he led the financial turnaround during a fast-growth phase. As chief financial officer, Kosofsky was responsible for the finance, accounting, IT and legal functions. During his almost three years with ASSA ABLOY, Kosofsky implemented an ERP system, financial controls and procedures, including budgetary and inventory controls.

“ACN is a great opportunity for me to return to the publishing sector and leverage my financial experience in an industry that I admire and for a great company,” he said. “I’m looking forward to embarking on this next phase of my career and working with ACN’s highly regarded management team and employees.”

Will is assuming responsibility for all facets of human resources, supporting the company’s corporate leadership by guiding and managing the overall provision of corporate and employee policies and programs. She also will report directly to Carr.

“Carol brings extensive experience in both office management and employee relations, compounded by an impressive legal background in employment policy,” Carr said. “We are excited to have her join our team and are confident that Carol will maintain ACN’s employee-oriented culture, local community approach and the high standards in which our Company has always adhered to.”

Will joins ACN from YUM Brands Inc., which operates Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and other fast-food chains, where she served as the governmental affairs coordinator. YUM Brands consistently lobbies state governments on legislation involving labor issues, including minimum wage, paid sick leave, immigration reform and other employment matters.

“I am very happy to be joining Gene and the team at ACN,” Will said. “This role gives me an opportunity to combine my disciplines and past experiences to help ensure the ongoing development of a superior work force within a leading media business like American Community Newspapers.”