Thomas Alexander Fraser 12125 Aspenwood Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37922

609.364.0924 thomasfraser1@gmail.com   

SUMMARY Award-winning Editor with extensive experience in reporting and writing, editing, digital editing and reporting, assigning, managing projects, and photography. Excels in ensuring content relevancy, connecting with the public, use of both print and social media, managing projects, and meeting deadlines. Possesses expertise in municipal, state and federal government functions, is adept at leading under stress, managing deadlines, and has excellent written and verbal communications skills. Has a strong work ethic, enjoys learning, and is very curious. Technical skills include Microsoft Word and Falcon, Blox, Newsgate, Saxotech / Publicus content management systems, Chartbeat and other digital audience analysis programs, and leveraging social media, i.e Facebook, Twitter.  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE !BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY MEDIA GROUP, Omaha, Nebraska, 2013-2016 THE NEWS & ADVANCE, Lynchburg, Virginia. 24501, 2013-2016 City editor Managed a newsroom and daily print and digital production with a total staff of 13 reporters and three photographers. Prepared daily news budget, tracked web metrics, ensured digital-first reporting, coordinated with design and online desks, and planned and oversaw projects. • !Brought a digital-first philosophy to The News & Advance newsroom. Helped plot and drive strategies for web growth. Helped double Facebook presence. Created social media policy. Oversaw significant contributions to video production. Stressed issues-driven reporting and use of social media to news staff and coached and mentored. Recruited, hired and retained talent. Ensured two sophisticated section fronts each day. !GANNETT COMPANY INC., McLean, Virginia, 2006 – 2013ASHEVILLE CITIZEN –TIMES, Asheville, North Carolina, 2008 – 2013Night EditorServed as night and weekend editor in charge, managed website and engaged readers through social media. Oversaw late copy and final proofs to meet deadlines, supervised evening staff, and selected final photos and stories for print and digital.•Provided valuable and new advertising platform for increased revenue with the redesign and carefully managed overhaul of the Sunday business section to a stylized ideas section that targeted Entrepreneurs, creative class, and business startup niches.•Managed aggressive execution of political content for the 2012 local, state and national campaign cycle, including weekly Politics page.•Oversaw coverage of the 2012 Democratic National Convention using balanced and in-depth digital and print of Election Day and follow-ups, leading to a more informed electorate, and generating digital engagement.•Increased reader engagement by co-leading newsroom transformation to digital-first philosophy that included aggressive Web posting, use of video, and utilization of social media.THE DAILY JOURNAL, Vineland, New Jersey, 2006 – 2008

Metro EditorSupervised 11 newsroom employees and oversaw local metro section graphics, photo and copy content for six-day Gannett newspaper and website. Posted and update website content. Promoted from assistant metro editor to metro editor within a month.•Achieved successful buy-in to new digital culture by raising the bar for online contributions and active management to achieve goals.•Gained respect and trust of hardened news staff in a very active news environment by adopting additional management skills, including leadership, planning, delegation and collaboration.•Created a new revenue platform with the development of a unique Memorial Day tabloid featuring personal stories and reflections on area World War II veterans and survivors. THE DAILY TIMES, Maryville, Tennessee, 1997 – 2006Assistant City Editor / Municipal and Environment ReporterStaffed weekend city desk. Covered Blount County, Alcoa and Maryville governments, and environmental issues, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and general assignments for seven-day Horvitz newspaper. Managed daily newsroom and Sunday editions.•  Executed and delivered award-winning projects and packages ranging from• !Examination of African-American farmer culture in the Deep South.• !Investigation of a 10 year unsolved "cold case" homicide of a toddler that prompted area law enforcement to re-examine the case.• !Multi-part series on the human and social effects of decades-long decline in a historically black neighborhood originally developed to service an ALCOA aluminum plant.•Increased weekly revenue 10% with the management and execution of the paper's first Sunday edition. HELLBENDER PRESS, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1997 – 2006Founder / Publisher / Features and News EditorOversaw content, advertising and distribution of 10,000-circulation bimonthly nonpartisan environmental journal. THE CHEROKEE SCOUT, Murphy, North Carolina, 1996 – 1997Sports Editor / Government and General Assignment ReporterCoordinated, photographed and covered preparatory and recreational sports. Covered police beat and municipal and county governments of Cherokee County, NC.  

EDUCATION BS, Communications, Major: Journalism, emphasis in Environment Reporting, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN•One year foreign study at Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands  

NOTABLE HONORS AND AWARDS 

East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists Investigative Reporting Award of ExcellenceETSPJ Series I Project Writing Award of Excellence

Little River Watershed Association Personal Environmental Achievement Award

Tennessee Colonel Aide de CampAssociated Press Malcolm Law Award for Feature Writing

ETSPJ Award of Merit for Deadline ReportingSister City delegate to Zheleznogorsk, Russia, for the City of Maryville