Andrew Olsen
Times/Review Newsgroup publisher Andrew Olsen began his yearlong term as president of the New York Press Association’s board of directors this week.
As president, Mr. Olsen said, he will continue training and guidance for publishers across New York state to “help increase their level of journalistic excellence.” He also plans along with the board to create a human resources hotline that any employee of NYPA’s 761 member newspapers will be able to call for help or guidance with a work-related issue.
“I’ve been active on the NYPA board for years and have always found that you get out of an organization what you put into it,” Mr. Olsen said. “Much of the success within my company is tied in some way to training, ideas or other resources provided by NYPA.”
Mr. Olsen, 43, became co-publisher of Times/Review Newsgroup in May 2003, when Joan and Troy Gustavson, the parents of Mr. Olsen’s wife, Sarah, retired as co-publishers. Mr. Olsen was named sole publisher in 2009 and ownership of the company was transferred to the Olsens in January. He has served on NYPA’s board of directors for about 10 years.
The Gustavsons had owned Times/Review Newsgroup, formerly known as Times/Review Newspapers, since 1977. Times/Review publishes The Suffolk Times, Riverhead News-Review, The Shelter Island Reporter, Long Island Wine Press, numerous tourism and special-interest magazines and the websites associated with those publications — including northforker.com, a lifestyle, travel and leisure blog launched in May.
“I have a strong management team here at Times/Review, which will help me actively participate in board and association responsibilities,” Mr. Olsen said. “We have a very engaged and talented board that is striving to do great things over the next year.”
NYPA executive director Michelle Rea said she’s looking forward to working with Mr. Olsen during his one-year term.
“We’re always looking for leadership that’s going to make the newspaper industry sustainable and take us to the next place that we’re going,” she said. “I think Andrew leading the helm sets a good example for newspaper publishers across the state. He’ll help guide NYPA so that we can provide the right kind of services to newspapers.”
A Cutchogue resident, Mr. Olsen is a graduate of Southold High School and the University of Richmond (Va.). Before joining Times/Review, he was a vice president at Lowe, Lintas & Partners, an advertising agency in New York City. He is a former chairman of the East Marion Fire Department and recently transferred to the Cutchogue Fire Department. He also coaches youth baseball and basketball on the North Fork. Earlier this month, he was elected to the board of directors of East End Arts in Riverhead.
According to its website, NYPA was founded in 1853 to help publishers of small newspapers meet the needs of their communities more effectively by providing better information for their readers. Its membership includes 727 weekly community newspapers, 58 dailies and 147 culturally specific newspapers.
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