FORT ATKINSON — Robb Grindstaff, a member of the WNA Board of Directors, will retire June 30 as general manager of APG Southern Wisconsin.
Grindstaff’s retirement was announced Thursday by the (Fort Atkinson) Daily Jefferson County Union. He will be succeeded as general manager by Missy Feiler, who will also serve as chief revenue officer for the APG Hometown Group.
Grindstaff joined the Daily Union in 2012, when the newspaper was owned by W.D. Hoard & Sons Co. Two years later, he took over as general manager of Hometown News Group, overseeing its weekly newspapers in addition to the Daily Union. At the time, Hometown published the Sun Prairie Star, Milton Courier, Cambridge News-Deerfield Independent, Lake Mills Leader; Herald-Independent-McFarland Thistle, Waterloo-Marshall Courier, Waunakee Tribune, DeForest Times-Tribune, and Lodi Enterprise-Poynette Press.
When Adams Publishing Group purchased the Daily Union, Hometown and the Watertown Daily Times in December 2018, Grindstaff was named to his current role, adding the Daily Times to his list of publications. Grindstaff also worked closely with Mary Jo Villa, publisher of The (Janesville) Gazette and regional president of APG Southern Wisconsin, after APG bought The Gazette and the Beloit Daily Times in June 2019.
“On behalf of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association I would like to congratulate Robb on his upcoming retirement, and thank him for his years of service on the WNA board of directors,” said Gregg Walker, president of the WNA Board of Directors. “Robb’s expertise and willingness to support the efforts of the WNA will be sorely missed. His distinguished career in the newspaper industry, spanning more than 43 years, is an accomplishment that deserves our deepest respect and gratitude.”
Grindstaff and his wife, Linda, will be moving to Missouri.
“It has been a rewarding career in this crazy business,” Grindstaff said. “It certainly has been a wild ride the past two years as I worked with the Knox and Clifford families through the acquisition process, with APG during the transition, and with the Janesville team for the second phase in the evolution of APG of Southern Wisconsin.
“Winding up my career fighting our way through a worldwide pandemic and the ensuing economic calamity is perhaps a fitting way to bring a journalism and publishing career to a conclusion,” he added.
Feiler, who currently serves as advertising manager for APG Southern Wisconsin, joined the company in 2004 as an advertising account representative for Hometown News Group. She previously spent time in a marketing role for Dells Raceway Park and worked in therapy services for Dean Health System. A UW-Whitewater graduate, Feiler earned her bachelor’s degree in 2000.
