Machaskee retiring from Dealer

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Alex Machaskee, who started his newspaper career as a sports and general assignment reporter, announced Sunday he is retiring as president, publisher and chief executive of The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper.
Machaskee, 68, said he would keep working until a successor is named. He joined the newspaper 46 years ago in the promotions department and rose to publisher in 1990. Machaskee began his career as a reporter for his hometown newspaper, the Warren Tribune Chronicle, before coming to The Plain Dealer in 1960.
"I am eager to have more time to spend with my family, travel and play music; all things that I love and cannot find enough time to work into a hectic schedule," he said in a written statement.
Colleagues praised him for his civic leadership and improvements he brought to The Plain Dealer in a tough time for the industry, with competition from 24-cable news, the Internet and even cell phones.
As publisher, Machaskee increased the news staff in the early 1990s and supervised the development of a $38 million downtown headquarters and $200 million production and distribution center in suburban Brooklyn.
"I've worked for him just under seven years," Editor Doug Clifton said. "My only regret is that it wasn't 20."