Greg Schermer to retire from Lee Enterprises

Greg Schermer

Gregory P. Schermer, Lee Enterprises vice president - strategy and board member, has announced plans to retire after more than 27 years with Lee Enterprises, Incorporated. Schermer will remain a member of the board of directors. His retirement is effective Aug. 31.

"Greg has played an essential role in Lee's digital transformation," said Mary Junck, Lee's executive chairman. "Among his significant contributions to Lee and our industry, Greg helped found The Local Media Consortium, which connects advertisers to the audiences of nearly 1,600 newspapers and local media outlets. He also has negotiated other key digital partnerships, which have contributed greatly to our success."

"Greg has been a member of Lee's top management team for nearly two decades," she added. "We're fortunate that he will remain on the board to continue sharing his counsel and expertise."

Schermer, 62, was named vice president - strategy in 2012, having served as vice president of interactive media since 1998. He joined Lee in 1989 as corporate counsel and held the position until 2006. He became a member of the Lee board of directors in 1999.

"It has been an honor to be a part of the evolution of Lee and the industry as a whole," Schermer said. "It's a much different landscape now, and I'm very proud of the work we've done to position Lee as a major part of that landscape. I'm greatly looking forward to the opportunities my retirement will bring as well as my continued work as a member of the Lee board."

Before joining Lee, he was a partner at the law firm of Hanson, O'Brien, Birney and Butler in Washington, D.C. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts and a juris doctorate degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., in 1980.

Schermer served on the Newspaper Association of America's Digital Advisory Committee and also serves on the board of Lee's digital subsidiary, Townnews.com, an online service provider to more than 1,600 community and weekly newspapers.

Among community activities in Davenport, he formerly was president of the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts and president, board and executive committee member of the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra.

The stage at the Adler Theater in Davenport was recently named the "Gregory P. Schermer Stage" in honor of his contributions to the theater and performing arts in the Quad Cities community.