January 26, 2001 ARLINGTON, VA - Four executive appointments were announced today by the Newspaper Division: -- John M. Zidich becomes executive vice president, The Arizona Republic. Zidich was president and publisher of the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal. -- Fred H. Hamilton succeeds Zidich in Reno. He was president and publisher of The Olympian, Olympia, Wash. -- Robert W. Ritter succeeds Hamilton in Olympia. He was vice president/news and editor of The Journal News, Westchester, N.Y. Ritter returns to Olympia, where he served as president and publisher from 1983-1985. -- Henry M. Freeman succeeds Ritter in Westchester. He was vice president/special projects in Westchester. "These appointments reflect the best of Gannett -- experienced executives taking on greater responsibility through internal promotions," said Gary L. Watson, president of the Newspaper Division. "These four bring deep and broad newspaper experience into their new roles, talent that will benefit their staffs, their newspapers and their customers." Zidich joined Gannett in 1992 at The Record in Stockton, CA and moved through a series of advertising and sales management roles there and in Reno. He became president and publisher in Reno last year. Hamilton joined Gannett in 1985 as director of marketing at The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, CA. He was named president and publisher of The Californian in Salinas in 1989 and The Olympian in 1994. Ritter had been editor in Westchester since 1997. He held previously editing posts at the Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta, Reno, and The San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sun. He also served as a news executive on corporate staff and as editor of Gannett News Service. Freeman has been with Gannett since 1976, when he became assistant sports editor of The News Journal in Wilmington, DE. In 1981, he joined the start-up team at USA TODAY, where he served as managing editor/Sports. In 1989, he returned to Wilmington as editor, and in 1993 became president and publisher of the Courier News in Bridgewater, N.J. He joined the executive team in Westchester in 2000.