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ST. LOUIS — A longtime reporter and newsroom leader has been named top editor of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ American, the region’s leading Black-owned news outlet.

Rod Hicks, a former editor at multiple news outlets including the Post-Dispatch, will begin as executive editor on Monday, publisher Donald Suggs said. 

Hicks has four decades of experience as a reporter, editor and consultant advising newsrooms on changes in the journalism industry. He was most recently ethics and diversity director for the Society of Professional Journalists, an Indianapolis-based free press advocacy group.

In an interview, Hicks said he plans to grow the American’s coverage with a “digital-first� approach that could include video and audio storytelling, social media, streaming and other platforms.

“I’m honored Dr. Suggs trusts me to continue The American’s legacy and improve our storytelling and engagement with our audience,� Hicks said.

“We want to find the stories that are important to our community, we want to celebrate the accomplishments of members of our community, and we want to give them information that is helpful in their daily lives,� he said. “But we know there are people more likely to interact with us if they can find us in some of these digital platforms, active and producing good, interesting stories.�

Hicks grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and produced holiday newsletters for his family as a child. He earned his first professional byline at age 13 covering a burglary at his former elementary school for the Birmingham World, a Black-owned weekly newspaper. 

He began his career in 1985 with The Anniston Star in Anniston, Alabama, and has since reported or edited for the Birmingham Post-Herald, The Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News.

Hicks managed nightly news at the Post-Dispatch from January 2006 to late 2008, including when a gunman killed six people during a Kirkwood City Council meeting, coverage later named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news reporting. He later spent a decade as a national and international news editor for the Associated Press and was also a longtime board member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Hicks holds a master’s degree in newspaper management from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Alabama.

Suggs, in a press release, said Hicks has “a wealth of journalism experience, leadership and a deep commitment to editorial excellence.�

“He joins us at a pivotal moment as we work to build on our legacy and reimagine The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ American as a digital-first newsroom, expanding our reach and impact across platforms while continuing to proudly serve our community with integrity, insight and relevance,â€� Suggs said.