Brian Roy, a newspaper veteran with decades of experience in Mississippi, is filling a new role in the greater Memphis area this week.
Monday was his first day as the general manager for Journal West 10 Media LLC, the newspaper group that includes the Bartlett Express, the Shelby Sun Times, the Collierville Independent, the Millington Star and the Oakland News.
As general manager, Roy has end-to-end responsibility for all aspects of the West 10 publications (editorial, circulation and advertising).
“Being able to work with the staff at Journal West 10 Media is a great opportunity to serve and build community as newspapers should,” Roy said. “I believe our products should be the primary source of local news and information for members of our communities. I want us to be able to provide that news and information across multiple platforms to meet the expectations of our customers, both readers and advertisers.”
He earned his chops with 36 years in the newspaper business, working in pre-press, press, advertising sales, management, sports writing, circulation management, news coverage, column writing, and editorial writing.
Roy also has served as general manager of a semi-weekly newspaper and commercial printing plant, as well as publisher of a semi-weekly and its sister weekly newspaper.
He has left his mark on several Mississippi newspapers: The Daily Times Leader in his home town of West Point, the Stark-ville Daily News, the New Albany Gazette, the Southern Sentinel in Ripley, the Oxford Eagle and the Oxford Citizen.
His family was living in Hernando, Miss., when he was born at Baptist Central in Memphis, and he still has family members living in Hernando. He grew up in West Point and then attended Mississippi State University, where he earned a bachelor of arts in communication with an emphasis in public relations.
He currently lives in New Albany, Miss., with Mary, his wife of 29 years. Their family includes a son in Chandler, Ariz.; a daughter in Tupelo, Miss.; and a daughter, son-in-law and grandchild in Olive Branch, Miss., where the Roys plan to relocate soon.
As a loyal Bulldog alumnus, he enjoys following Mississippi State sports, especially baseball, and Roy is also a big Memphis Tiger basketball fan. He supports St. Jude, enjoys Elvis’s music and is an avid runner and member of the Memphis Runners Track Club. He is a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in New Albany.
Roy can be reached at The Bartlett Express, 2850 Stage Village Cove, Bartlett; call (901) 433-9138 or email him at brian.roy@journalinc.com.
