AHOSKIE – David Sullens, formerly publisher of the Athens Daily Review in Athens, Texas, has been named publisher of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and president of Roanoke-Chowan Publications, LLC.

Sullens assumed his new role Wednesday. He succeeds Jeff Findley, who last week was named president and publisher of The Post-Searchlight, a Boone Newspapers acquisition in Bainbridge, Ga.

“David brings a wealth of newspaper experience and know-how to the News-Herald,” said Steve Stewart, publisher of The Tidewater News in Franklin, Va., and a Boone Newspapers group manager who led the search for Findley’s successor. “David has big shoes to fill, but we believe he will build on the solid foundation laid by Jeff and make our newspaper even better.”

As publisher, Sullens will oversee all facets of the newspaper’s operations and its products, including www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com. He also will serve as publisher of the Gates County Index.

Sullens, the son of

a Methodist minister, began his career as editor and later general manager of the weekly Van Alstyne (Texas) Leader in the early 1970s, after graduating with his bachelor of science degree in photojournalism from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas.

He left Van Alstyne to become the regional editor of The Paris (Texas) News; left to serve three years as public information officer for a 23-county region of the Texas Department of Human Resources; then returned as managing editor and, later, editor of the Paris News.

Sullens left The Paris News to become managing editor of The Galveston (Texas) Daily News and remained there three years before moving to The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung as that newspaper’s publisher.

He also has worked as publisher of the Navasota (Texas) Examiner and the Kosciusko (Mississippi) Star-Herald, as well as managing editor of the Meridian (Mississippi) Star.

Sullens has long been active in civic organizations. He is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and says he is proud of the fact that that honor was presented him by the Rotary Club of New Braunfels. He is a past president of the Paris (Texas) Lions Club, one of the original 22 Founders Clubs.

Sullens is married to the former Sherry Rolison, an Enterprise, Miss., native who will join him in Ahoskie this summer.

He has three children, two of them living in Texas and the third in Boise, Idaho.