• by Ray Schultz , 3 hours ago

Ryan Blethen will succeed his father Frank Blethen as publisher of the Seattle Times when the latter steps down at the of this year  

Frank Blethen, now 80, served in the top role for four decades. He will continue as chair.

Ryan Blethen joined the paper full-time in 1997, most recently serving as assistant managing editor and associate publisher. 

The Seattle Times was founded by Ryan’s great-great-grandfather Alden Blethen in 1896.

The organization also runs related businesses such as the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and the Yakima Herald-Republic.

“It’s such a good team,” says Ryan Blethen, the Seattle Times reports. “I really do feel like my dad and Alan (Fisco) and the executive team have gotten us to a place where we have a chance to be successful.” 

Ryan will be stepping away from his newsroom duties as assistant managing editor.

“Independent, family ownership is … a rare situation in today’s media environment,” Frank Blethen said in an email to Seattle Times employees earlier this year. “Transitioning to a 5th generation is even more rare.”