BH Media Group has named one of its business executives as publisher of The Free Lance-Star.
Dale Lachniet, 52, most recently served as vice president of operations for BH Media, and president of BH Media Publishing Solutions, which manages the printing and delivery of the company’s daily and weekly newspapers, and other specialty publications. In addition to being named publisher of The Free Lance-Star, he’s also been named vice president of BH Media’s Eastern Community Group.
“Dale is a trusted colleague, and we are fortunate to have him willing to take on this important new challenge,” Terry Kroeger, CEO of BH Media Group, said in The Free Lance-Star.
Lachniet came to BH Media in 2012, when BH Media purchased Media General’s newspaper, digital, and commercial printing assets for $142 million in cash. Lachniet had worked for Media General from 1996 through 2012, first as vice president and controller, then as president of operations and distribution solutions.
Prior to that, Lachniet was a senior manager at Ernst & Young, and a manager with Price Waterhouse.
The 1985 Liberty University graduate has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, and minors in political science and business administration.
Lachniet lives in Powhatan, Va.
BH Media Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Co,. owns 32 other news publications in Virginia, according to the company’s website. These include The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, The Culpeper Star-Exponent, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the Orange County Review.
In total, BH Media Group operates 71 newspapers and other titles in 10 states — Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
In addition to BH Media Group, subsidiaries of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Co. include GEICO Auto Insurance, Fruit of the Loom Companies, Kraft Heinz, Helzberg Diamonds, Pampered Chef, Benjamin Moore & Co., and International Dairy Queen, Inc.
BH Media Group purchased The Free Lance-Star, its website Fredericksburg.com and its commercial printing operations for an undisclosed amount of money from Sandton Capital Partners on December 31, 2015.
Sandton, a New York based company, and DPS, its limited partnership in the Cayman Islands, purchased The Free Lance-Star Company’s $38 million BB&T loan balance in the summer of 2013, which lead to the publishing company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on Jan 23, 2014. Nine companies participated in the May 2014 auction for its assets, according to FLS attorney Lynn Tavenner. Sandton submitted the winning bid of $30.2 million. It ended the Rowe family’s 130-year tenure as local owners of the media company.
More
BH Media Group Purchases The Free Lance-Star (December 31, 2015)
Free Lance-Star Building Sold to Local Developer (November 30, 2015)
Former Free Lance-Star Executive Building Property Sold (March 16, 2015)
Free Lance-Star Radio Cluster Sold (January 23, 2015)
WFLS and Sister Stations to Be Sold (December 3, 2014)
FCC Rules Free Lance-Star, Radio Stations Split (December 2, 2014)
Sandton Closes Deal, Names Interim FLS Publisher (June 20, 2014)
Sandton Capital Top Bidder for Free Lance-Star (May 22, 2014)
Sandton May Credit Bid on Free Lance-Star Assets, Judge Rules (March 26, 2014)
Free Lance-Star Publishing Company Advances Toward Sale of Assets (February 28, 2014)
