Press promotion
LOREN BENOIT/Press Kari Packer has been in sales at The Coeur d’Alene Press since 2005 and was recently promoted by Press Publisher Larry Riley to lead the advertising department at the newspaper.
After conducting more than a dozen interviews nationally for the vacant advertising director position at The Press, Publisher Larry Riley came to a firm conclusion.
His next ad director was already here.
On Friday, Riley promoted former Press sales manager Kari Packer to lead the primary revenue-generating department at the newspaper.
The immediate reaction from the ad staff confirmed his decision.
“Some of them cried happy tears,” he said.
Riley said Packer meets all the criteria for the position.
“Her intangibles such as passion, energy and ambition are absolute prerequisites to leading a marketing division,” Riley said. “Add to that Kari’s knowledge of market, solid understanding of client needs, respect from staff and strong analytical skills and you have a well-rounded individual to lead our sales efforts.
“Newspaper companies have evolved into prime multimedia organizations that offer a host of print and digital solutions for readers and advertisers. Kari has embraced our evolution with passion and vision toward the future.”
A native of Newport, Wash., and a University of Idaho public communications graduate, Packer has been in sales at The Press since 2005. Her first promotion came just three months after she started at the bottom of the sales ladder.
“I had to fill the shoes of one of the best, one of the most popular and successful advertising professionals this company has ever had,” Packer said of Anna Meyer, who died of cancer at the age of 40. “It was probably five or six years into the job before I felt like I was no longer in her shadow. She was that good.”
Packer said she learned a lot from former Publisher Jim Thompson and longtime Advertising Director Paul Burke.
“Jim gave me the tools and the ability to fly and fail and learn from it,” she said. “And Paul treated us like human beings. Everyone respected him, and was so loyal to him. That’s what I hope to do as well.”
She said she’s especially indebted to Riley, who became Press publisher in autumn 2016.
“He brought in an outside perspective and really took me under his wing,” Packer said. “He’s mentored me in leadership and has been helping me reach the point where I can effectively manage this department.”
After almost four years as sales manager, the No. 2 position in the advertising department, Packer said she’s ready to run the show. It’s all about helping local businesses be as successful as possible, she said.
“Between print advertising campaigns, social media, website optimization and so much more, it’s hard for most businesses to keep up, let alone get ahead,” she said. “My goal is to be sure The Press is a one-stop shop for advertisers, that we deliver that message consistently and show them what we can do for them.”
Packer can be reached at: 208-664-0215 or kpacker@cdapress.com