The City Wire Promotes Two, Hires New Staff

On the heels of its announcement that it will begin an “aggressive, strategic” expansion, Fort Smith-based The City Wire has made several leadership role assignments and added new staff.

The City Wire editor and co-owner Michael Tilley has been promoted to TCW Media president, and Patricia Brown has been named the chief operations officer. Tom Kirkham continues as co-owner of TCW Media.

Daelene Brown and Debbie Foliart have also been hired in full-time roles.

Brown, who began Nov. 7 as the business manager for The City Wire, has 16 years experience in human resources and office management. She previously served as tournament coordinator for the Fort Smith Classic. In that role, she managed daily operations and supervised administrative staff of the tournament office for the Nationwide Tour.

Prior to moving to Arkansas in 2006, Daelene Brown was the office and human resource manager for a multi-specialty physician office in Los Alamos, N.M.

Foliart, retained on Nov. 14 to support sales and leadership development for The City Wire, has more than 30 years in the newspaper industry. She has held management positions with Gannett Co., Donrey Media Group and Stephens Media Group. Two of the jobs were in key sales management roles with the Times Record in Fort Smith and The Morning News in Northwest Arkansas.

Foliart, who continues to be CEO of her coaching and consulting company, The Destiny Group, marketed and developed a candle product line, working with retail and wholesale buyers for small businesses to large corporations, such as USA Drug and OSCO Drug.

Daelene Brown and Foliart join the more than 15 people now associated with The City Wire. The City Wire staff and freelancers includes:

• Adam Brandt, restaurant critic
• Amanda Carson, freelance writer
• Ruby Dean, freelance writer and photographer
• Jennifer Douglas, technical support
• Tyler Fink, technical support
• Roy Hill, freelance writer
• Luke Hobbs, freelance writer
• Linda Kaufenberg, freelance writer and photographer
• Peter Lewis, movie and music reviews
• Shayne McKinney, technical consultant
• Jake McTyre, technical support
• Aric Mitchell, freelance writer
• Joel Rafkin, freelance writer and photographer
• Brittany Ransom, freelance writer and photographer
• Chris Rushing, freelance writer