There’s a new face of Ballantine Communications, as John Blais is the new CEO and publisher.
Blais, who started his duties on Monday, takes over the helm at a time where Ballantine Communications added a third publication in the Tri-City Record last year.
“In John, we are fortunate to find the expertise we need, with leadership history ranging from large established daily newspapers to local weekly publications, plus the initiative of creating a publication for his rural community of Marengo, Illinois,” Board Chairman Richard Ballantine said in an email to Ballantine staff members on Dec. 28.
Blais previously served as executive director for the St. Jude League/Claretian Publications and general manager for Capital Newspapers in Madison, Wisconsin. Capital Newspapers publishes the Wisconsin State-Journal and several other publications.
During his time at Claretian, one of its publications U.S. Catholic Magazine, was named Magazine of the Year by the Catholic Media Association in 2022 and 2023.
Over the past four years, Blais says that through a focus on innovation, the St. Jude League/Claretian Publications generated surplus revenues that went to support the Claretian Missionaries, an international Catholic congregation.
He also spent about 13 combined years at the Chicago Sun-Times in roles such as vice president, director of business development and director of audience development. He was also vice president general manager of Sun-Times Media Local.
Blais said he spent his entire life working in the newspaper industry and even grew up with a father who was an editor for the Chicago Tribune.
He is looking forward to helping propel Ballantine and engage a younger generation of readers. In terms of the recently started Tri-City Record, he looks forward to engaging with the communities the Record serves.
“I need to understand Farmington and need to talk to the people,” he said. “I’m going there next week to meet the business community.”
Blais has had success helping new publications in the past when he started The Marengo-Union Times in Marengo, Illinois.
“I’m not coming in with any preconceived notions,” he said. “I don’t have a model build for (the Tri-City Record). I had a model built for Marengo because I knew exactly what they needed.”
After many years working in the industry, Blais wanted to find a western town like Durango to move to and believes he’s found the perfect fit.
He’s looking forward to continuing Ballantine’s legacy in the Four Corners.
“I am here to continue the great tradition of The Durango Herald and our other newspapers, but also use my experience to reach new generations of readers and protect its business and the legacy,” he said.
This article was updated Jan. 13 to add information about Claretian Missionaries.
