Columbia-Greene Media is reporting Gary C. Valik has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Johnson Newspaper Corp., effective January 1. Johnson Newspaper Corp. locally publishes The Daily Mail, Register-Star and more than 10 other local newspapers statewide. Valik is Johnson Newspaper's first non-family chief executive officer in four generations. He previously served as vice president, has been with the company since 2014 and has decades of newspaper experience working in advertising, circulation and marketing. Valik has a degree in communications from Ithaca College and a masters from Syracuse University. Before joining Johnson Newspaper Corp., he was employed by the Syracuse Post Standard. Alec E. Johnson, company president, editor and publisher, said Valik’s commitment to the company over the past eight years and his vision for the future made him an easy pick for the role. “... As we looked to the future it is time to set specific roles and clearly delineate responsibilities. ... It is in the best interest of our company to have someone outside the family, with new and different ideas, in the chief management role,” Johnson said. “Gary has a proven track record of success. I have worked with him daily and he has risen to every occasion that has presented itself. ...," he said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.