Nathan Bekke has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Lee Enterprises, enhancing its digital transformation and operational efficiency.
Quiver AI Summary
Nathan Bekke has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of Lee Enterprises, succeeding in this role due to his significant contributions to the company's digital transformation and audience growth. Kevin Mowbray, the President and CEO, praised Bekke for his leadership in increasing revenue and digital-only audience metrics, as well as his expertise in operational efficiency. Bekke, who has been with Lee for over 30 years and held various leadership roles since 2015, expressed his honor in taking on the new position and emphasized the company's readiness for a successful digital future. Lee Enterprises, a major provider of local news and information, operates across 72 markets in 25 states, focusing on delivering valuable community news.
Potential Positives
- Nathan Bekke's appointment as Chief Operating Officer highlights the company's recognition of internal talent and continuity in leadership during a critical transition towards a digital-first strategy.
- Bekke's track record of driving revenue and significantly increasing digital audience engagement positions Lee Enterprises for continued growth in the evolving media landscape.
- The emphasis on consolidating legacy print costs and investing in digital initiatives indicates a strategic focus on efficiency and modernization, aligning with industry trends.
- Lee Enterprises' expansion into digital-only subscriptions and the success of Amplified Digital Agency® suggests a positive momentum in diversifying revenue streams and enhancing market competitiveness.
Potential Negatives
- Leadership change may create uncertainty among employees and stakeholders regarding the strategic direction of the company.
- Heavy emphasis on digital transformation may signal ongoing challenges in the legacy print business, which could affect traditional revenue streams.
- Despite the positive framing, the need for "necessary efficiencies" in legacy print operations could indicate financial pressures or declining performance in that sector.
FAQ
Who has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Lee Enterprises?
Nathan Bekke has been named Chief Operating Officer of Lee Enterprises, effective June 20, 2025.
What are Nathan Bekke's prior roles at Lee Enterprises?
Bekke served as Operating Vice President and Vice President of Audience Strategy before his promotion to COO.
How has Nathan Bekke contributed to Lee's success?
He has driven revenue growth, increased digital audience, and consolidated legacy print costs for efficiency.
What is Lee Enterprises' focus moving forward?
The company aims to accelerate its digital transformation and strengthen its position as a digital-first organization.
Where can I find more information about Lee Enterprises?
For more details, visit Lee Enterprises' official website at www.lee.net.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$LEE Insider Trading Activity
$LEE insiders have traded $LEE stock on the open market 1 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 1 have been purchases and 0 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $LEE stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- STEVEN C. FLETCHER purchased 1,000 shares for an estimated $11,570
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$LEE Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 12 institutional investors add shares of $LEE stock to their portfolio, and 14 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- GAMCO INVESTORS, INC. ET AL added 105,607 shares (+28.9%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $1,096,200
- PRAETORIAN PR LLC removed 59,282 shares (-22.7%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $615,347
- ROYAL BANK OF CANADA added 28,917 shares (+15715.8%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $300,158
- DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP removed 18,256 shares (-57.7%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $189,497
- GABELLI FUNDS LLC added 16,593 shares (+9.1%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $172,235
- MASSMUTUAL PRIVATE WEALTH & TRUST, FSB removed 14,457 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $150,063
- KERRISDALE ADVISERS, LLC removed 13,763 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $203,417
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
Full Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nathan Bekke, Operating Vice President and Vice President of Audience Strategy, has been named Chief Operating Officer of Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NASDAQ:LEE).
Kevin Mowbray, Lee’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said “Nathan has played an integral role in Lee’s transformation and has been a key leader in driving revenue and greatly increasing our digital audience that’s led to industry leading digital-only audience growth. He has also been a significant contributor to Lee with strong operational knowledge driving excellent results across the company. Among his many talents, Nathan has also demonstrated tremendous success consolidating legacy print costs that drive necessary efficiencies that allow the company to reinvest in our digital future. I join Lee’s Board of Directors in congratulating Nathan on this well-deserved recognition.”
“I’m truly honored to step into this role,” Bekke said. “As we accelerate our digital transformation, Lee is well positioned for a dynamic and successful future thanks to the tremendous progress we've made becoming a digital-first company. I’m incredibly fortunate to work alongside such talented colleagues across Lee who are driving exceptional growth in digital-only subscriptions and advancing our momentum at Amplified Digital Agency ® . The opportunities ahead are exciting, and I look forward to building on our strong foundation.”
Bekke, was appointed Vice President in January 2015.
He was named Operating Vice President and Vice President of Audience Strategy in 2020. He is responsible for news, audience, advertising, production, information technology and BLOX Digital operations. He began his career in 1988 advancing to many leadership positions throughout his more than three-decade career with Lee.
Bekke has been involved with a wide range of charitable, community and statewide organizations throughout his career. He currently serves on the board of News Media Alliance.
Nathan has two adult children and three adult stepchildren with his wife Trista.
ABOUT LEE
Lee Enterprises is a major subscription and advertising platform and a leading provider of local news and information with daily newspapers, rapidly growing digital products and nearly 350 weekly and specialty publications serving 72 markets in 25 states. Our core commitment is to provide valuable, intensely local news and information to the communities we serve. Our markets include St. Louis, MO; Buffalo, NY; Omaha, NE; Richmond, VA; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; Davenport, IA; and Tucson, AZ. Lee Common Stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol LEE. For more information about Lee, please visit www.lee.net .
Contact:
[email protected]
(563) 383-2100
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fad9956-f0ef-4c35-82d6-fbe7f9c3239e
