Сотрудники Times Citizen Communications приобрели компанию у основателя Марка Хэмилтона

Carie Goodknight and Josh Lovelace have big shoes to fill. The duo has taken over the reins of Times Citizen Communications from current owner Mark Hamilton, who has owned the company since 1983. Goodknight, who serves as TCC’s Chief Operating Officer, and Lovelace, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, have jointly taken ownership of Times Citizen Communications. The transition has been years in the making, and the pair have worked closely with Hamilton in managing the business since the planned purchase was publicly announced in 2022. “Mark had always wanted the company to remain locally owned, with ownership eventually transitioning to employees,” Goodknight explained. Lovelace said discussions to sell began shortly after former General Manager John Goossen passed away in September of 2021. “Mark had spent years working on a plan to make that vision a reality,” Goodknight added. “And during that time, he spoke with a few of us about the possibility of becoming owners. After John’s passing, he expanded those conversations to include other managers and directors who might be interested in joining the ownership group. While several people considered the opportunity, in the end, Josh and I were the ones who chose to move forward, honored to carry on the legacy Mark envisioned and continue building on the strong foundation that has been established through the hard work and dedication of so many people over the years.” Lovelace, a Webster City native with an extensive background in corporate marketing and publishing, started working at TCC in 2017. Goodknight began in 2005 in the accounting department, so they bring together years of combined experience. They had also spent many years planning, developing, and analyzing annual budgets and processes, intertwining their abilities. After nearly a decade as a Regional Advertising Director for West Virginia-based Ogden Newspapers, Inc., Lovelace was recruited to the TCC in 2017 to lead the company’s Farm Bureau Publications Network, succeeding longtime newspaper executive and Farm Bureau Spokesman leader Don Dauterive. “I knew Don’s lifetime of experience would never be replaced and was grateful for the opportunity to work with Don for 10 months prior to his retirement to learn the operation and build relationships,” Lovelace said. After becoming acquainted with Hamilton, he added, “I was inspired by his passion for the Iowa Falls community and the Hardin County area.” For almost 10 years, Lovelace continues to build business relationships with national advertisers, marketing agencies, and Farm Bureau executives from the 17 Farm Bureaus that TCC represents. Lovelace has also been deeply involved on the board of the National Agri-Marketing Association as the communications co-chair, which opened the door to relationships with key national advertisers and agencies that he still works closely with today. “Having the opportunity to be involved in planning and executing marketing campaigns for some of the most recognized brands on the planet is inspiring, empowering, and humbling at times,” Lovelace said. Goodknight, who is an Iowa Falls native, had been working in Ames and wanted to be closer to home. She heard about an accounting job opening at TCC from Casey McNeal who was already working here. Goodknight was hired in 2005 to replace Corinne Hundahl, who was retiring. “I then took the Manager of Administrative Services position in 2007 and was promoted to CFO in 2013, and into my current role as COO in 2022. When I started working here, I didn’t realize just how diverse the company was. I thought I was joining a newspaper, but I soon discovered it was so much more,” Goodknight explained. In addition to the Times Citizen and Ackley World Journal, TCC’s operations include a printing company, KIFG Radio, and a digital marketing division. The company also provides sales and printing services for Farm Bureaus nationwide and operates The Link, a news release distribution service serving businesses and colleges across the country. “Learning about all these different parts of the organization opened my eyes to the tremendous reach and influence of our company. Looking back, I certainly never imagined that journey would one day lead to becoming an owner of the company,” Goodknight said. “Iowa Falls and Hardin County are my home,” she continued. “The people here are my family, friends, classmates, neighbors, coworkers, business partners, and fellow volunteers. They’re people I know, care about, and see every day.” For her, the importance of the newspaper extends beyond weekly headlines. It is the community’s record, a place where stories are preserved and where residents can look back through the archives and see the history of Iowa Falls unfold. “I love that we’re telling all of their stories and we’re documenting the history of Iowa Falls,” she added. “Times Citizen Communications is much more than the Iowa Falls Times Citizen,” Lovelace said. “It’s a comprehensive media, marketing and commercial printing company, with a lot more divisions than most people realize. We’re a uniquely diverse company located in the heart of rural Iowa, which we’re extremely proud of.” “For a company this size to be locally owned with local autonomy enables TCC to be innovative and cutting edge with everything we do,” Lovelace continued. “That’s one of the many things that I really admire about Mark (Hamilton). He’s truly passionate about keeping TCC locally owned, and I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity that Mark provided. “It’s important to me that we grow local career opportunities and help local businesses thrive.” Lovelace has met with local businesses about growing their marketing campaigns outside of print, digital and radio. “While traditional advertising is still powerful, changes in how we each consume information are a constant,” he said. “Sharing my passion for advertising and helping local businesses grow has been fun. Taking a deep dive into each client’s goals has enabled us to customize, execute, and track their growth. At the end of the day, we’re all local businesses; we have a vested interest in each other’s existence, and each of our successes make the community a better place.” Goodknight said the company’s strength lies in the relationships it has built with its customers over the years. Unlike larger marketing firms, the staff understands the communities they serve, as well as their clients’ products, services, and goals. Because of that familiarity, she believes they are uniquely positioned to help businesses effectively share their message. One of the most significant shifts, Goodknight said, has been the way people access news, with many now getting information on their phones rather than from a printed newspaper. Despite those changes, the demand for reliable local journalism has never disappeared, and trusted community news continues to play an important role in people’s lives. “Everybody still wants to know what’s going on locally,” she said. “In today’s world, because there is so much out there and so much of it that you don’t even know if it’s real, having that trusted local source is even more important.” Goodknight said advertising trends have evolved, with many businesses supplementing traditional print and radio advertising with digital marketing. She said Lovelace’s background has played a key role in helping TCC adapt. “Josh brought a lot of expertise in that area, and he’s helped us expand our services,” she said. “We can provide solutions for both local and national customers and help them reach their target audience.” “I started selling digital marketing before digital marketing was cool,” Lovelace laughed. “Digital advertising and marketing are always changing. I started managing and developing digital marketing campaigns almost 20 years ago. Back then it was website design, social media management and display ads on websites.” Lovelace said TCC has grown into a full-service digital advertising agency that helps businesses connect with customers online through services such as targeted display ads, video advertising, streaming TV commercials, search engine marketing, social media advertising and website design. “There’s an immense need for cost-effective advertising and marketing for rural businesses trying to scale,” Lovelace added. “You have to zero in on what aspects of the marketing funnel they are trying to accomplish.” Lovelace explained the marketing funnel refers to the customer journey, from creating awareness of a business, to generating interest in its products or services, to ultimately encouraging a purchase or other action. He said TCC works with clients to identify their goals and build advertising strategies that reach customers at each stage of that process. “That’s where TCC can put together a comprehensive approach to dramatically improve client ROI,” Lovelace said. “We’re passionate about each client’s campaign and take it personally, because the success of our clients defines who we are.” As they look ahead, Goodknight and Lovelace said they do not envision change for the sake of change. Instead, they want to build on the company’s strengths, invest in employees and equipment, improve systems and continue looking for technology that can better serve customers. “We want to keep the community informed,” Goodknight said. “Staying connected and keeping everything local… that’s important to us.” The company has added digital tools, including an app, to reach readers who may not visit a website daily or pick up a print edition regularly. At the same time, Goodknight said traditional media remains part of the company’s foundation and part of what many local readers and advertisers still value. “We have a really good culture here at TCC,” Lovelace added. “We have a great team and we’re continuing to build onto that positive culture that strives for growth and innovation. The future is extremely bright for TCC, and that’s directly attributed to the hard work of each of our 59 team members. It’s truly a family environment and we intend to keep building on that.” Goodknight pointed to the company’s recent recognition as Iowa Newspaper of the Year, first in 2023 for the Ackley World Journal, then in 2024 and 2026 for the Times Citizen, along with multiple KIFG awards, as evidence of the talent already in place. She said those honors reflect contributions from employees across the organization, not just one department. Goodknight closed with a quote from Dale Howard, “‘If it’s good for Iowa Falls, it will be good for us. If it’s good for Hardin County, it will be good for us.’ Ever since I heard that, I can’t quit thinking about it, and I will always think that now.”