View Newspaper Group promotes two team members, welcomes new marketing specialist

Casey Johnson

Leadership at View Newspaper Group is proud to announce the promotion of two team members and the addition of a new team member.

Sanilac County News reporter Casey Johnson has been promoted to community relations manager for Sanilac and Huron counties. She is based out of the Sanilac County News office in Sandusky, Michigan.

In her new role, Johnson will focus on community outreach to strengthen and grow community partnerships, while continuing to report on local businesses, nonprofits and service clubs.

Johnson began her career with View Newspaper Group in 2011 as in intern at The County Press in Lapeer, while studying journalism at Oakland University.

After moving to Sanilac County, Johnson worked in local journalism from 2014-2015 before going to back to school to receive her license in massage therapy, which she practiced full-time in Huron County until joining the Sanilac County News in 2022.

Molly Macleod

Molly Macleod has been named editor of The Hastings Banner, The Reminder and The Sun and News. In her new role, Macleod will cover Barry County, as well as the Hastings and Lakewood communities. She will also coordinate page layouts, assign stories and edit copy.

Formerly copy editor for View Newspaper Group’s Barry County publications, Macleod comes to the new role having covered the area for over two years. She is based out of the View West office in Hastings, Michigan.

After graduating from Lakewood High School in 2018, Macleod earned a degree in public policy from the University of Michigan in May 2022. She has minors in German language and culture and history. In June 2022, Macleod was named copy editor for The Banner, The Reminder and The Sun and News.

“We are excited to promote both Casey and Molly into their new roles,” said View Newspaper Group Publisher Wes Smith. “As a growing community newspaper company, View Newspaper Group always looks to promote from within. Both Casey and Molly are committed to their respective communities, which paired with their newspaper experience made them the perfect candidates for these positions.”

Ellie Vasbinder

Ellie Vasbinder has joined the team as a marketing specialist based at the Tri-County Times office in Fenton, Michigan. Vasbinder will focus on helping customers in Fenton, Linden and Holly grow their business through marketing in the Tri-County Times and Genesee County View. She will also work with the View Newspaper Group brand department to create sponsored content for both businesses and nonprofits.

Vasbinder, a Fenton native, is a recent graduate of Michigan State University where she majored in advertising and minored in graphic design.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ellie to our team,” said View Newspaper Group Advertising Director Pete Clinton. “She brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the role, along with her knowledge of advertising best practices and hands-on experience thanks to the skills she gained both inside and outside of the classroom during her time in high school and at MSU.”

About View Newspaper Group:

Founded in 2003, View Newspaper Group is a locally-owned, locally-connected community newspaper group covering 13 Michigan counties. As Michigan’s largest independently owned newspaper group, the company publishes 21 newspapers with print editions reaching more than 335,000 households each week, plus an additional 500,000 monthly online readers. For more information, visit mihomepaper.com or contact View Newspaper Group Brand Manager Emily Caswell at ecaswell@mihomepaper.com.