Diana Block appointed co-publisher of The Blade

6/1/2007

Diana Block, general manager and vice president of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was named co-publisher of The Blade and the Post-Gazette, effective today.

John Robinson Block will continue as co-publisher and editor-in-chief of both newspapers, which are owned by Block Communications Inc.

Ms. Block, 34, will remain as general manager of the Post-Gazette. At the Pittsburgh paper, she has been vice president of operations, systems director, and a reporter. She worked as a reporter intern at The Blade in 1992 and 1993.

Ms. Block is a great-granddaughter of Paul Block, who first published The Blade in 1926 and the Post-Gazette in 1927.

She holds master's degrees in English from the University of Virginia and in business administration from Carnegie Mellon University. She received her bachelor's degree from Yale University.

"Diana represents the fourth generation of our family in the business, and she brings a younger perspective and new ideas to the table," said Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications. "In her role as co-publisher, I expect her to continue to find creative new revenue streams."

David Beihoff will remain president of the Post-Gazette and vice president of newspapers for Block Communications, and Joseph H. Zerbey IV will continue as vice president and general manager of The Blade.