Managing Editor John M. Foster has resigned at the Idaho Business Review to become executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party is expected to make the announcement sometime today.
Prior to being offered the position, Foster was on an extended leave of absence while he interviewed for the job.
Rick Carpenter, vice president and publisher of the Idaho Business Review, said Foster went on the unpaid leave of absence when he notified the publisher that he was going to apply for the position. Carpenter said the newspaper is politically independent and wants to support political candidates and policies that encourage business development regardless of political affiliation.
Foster joined the Idaho Business Review last year as the paper’s managing editor. He led the redesign of this Web site last November. A Boise native, John returned to Idaho from New Mexico, where he served as news editor of the Rio Grande Sun.
Carpenter said he has begun searching for a new managing editor.
10 Comments
John - you're supposed to do it the other way around - leave the PUBLIC sector to go to the private sector and make the big bucks. You did a great job for the IBR! Best wishes -
Comment By Chris Blanchard Thursday, April 26, 2007 @ 11:21 AM
John has left a fantastic legacy for the brief time he was with IBR. At the risk of offending any of the fine journalists with the paper, over the decade plus that I'd lived in Boise, I'd come to see the publication as the journalistic equivalent of minute rice: convenient, predictable and bland. Thanks to Rick's decision to bring John on board, IBR changed dramatically into THE defining business publication in our state -- and one that i believe could hold its own with weekly business pubs in any other business community that I've lived in. You guys have gone from Uncle Ben's to jumbalaya (just to keep working the culinary metaphor).
As a Democrat, I can appreciate the challenge that John Foster is taking on. He certainly isn't taking the path of least resistance, but I truly believe that he can bring the same energy, vision and hutzpah to the Dems of Idaho that he brought to IBR -- and with similar success.
John, I'll miss you! Rick, keep up the great work with the paper. And to Brad, Laura, Eddie, Vince, and all the other great folks I've gotten to know at IBR, you are the ones that make it happen each and every day, so I hope you get a new editor who is as worthy of your talent and dedication that John Foster was.
Comment By Michael Boss Thursday, April 26, 2007 @ 4:35 PM
Good luck, John Quixote.
Seriously, thank you for your valuable contributions to the business community.
Comment By M.Wheeler Thursday, April 26, 2007 @ 4:53 PM
John,
Very exciting news! All the best as you begin a new chapter in your life.
Comment By Todd Chavez Thursday, April 26, 2007 @ 6:21 PM
Best wishes John. You definitely left IBR a better place than you found it; my hope and belief is you'll do the same for the IDP.
Comment By Kenn Lamson Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 9:32 AM
John - Ditto to what others have said. You did a great job at IBR and good luck with IDP!
Comment By Brett Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 9:40 AM
Seriously, are there any journalists who aren't deomcrats?
Good luck John.
Comment By Erich Zimmerman Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 2:20 PM
John:
Before you joined the IBR, I did not take the paper seriously editorially. You brought up the journalism to a new level.
I can only hope that the IBR will find someone who will continue to improve the paper to the point you will give the Statesman competition.
Good luck to you John, and go Democrats!
Comment By Steve Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 10:33 PM
John,
Am in the Carolinas & just found out about this. Your past experience has served you well, I'm certain you'll be able to make the connection to Boise's tech community, before they bolt the state, courtesy of our wingnut legislature. Good luck and give 'em Hell.
Comment By Bill Sellers Monday, April 30, 2007 @ 7:15 AM
Congratulations John. Thank you for all you did to promote the Tech sector in Idaho. Best of luck in your new endeavor.
Mark Solon
Managing Partner
Highway 12 Ventures
Comment By Mark Solon Tuesday, May 1, 2007 @ 7:20 AM
CONTACT US at 208.336.3768
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