Longtime Billings Gazette publisher Mike Gulledge-who also serves VP of publishing at Lee Enterprises and regional publisher of the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic-has announced his resignation from the company, effective Sept. 30. The announcement comes just days after Iowa-based Lee Enterprises abruptly shuttered the Missoula Independent and Montana Magazine, two titles also serving the state but not directly under Gulledge's purview. Lee has tapped general manager Dave Worstell to succeed Gulledge as publisher of the Gazette, while the Missoulian and Ravalli Republic will be grouped alongside the Helena-based Independent Record and the Montana Standard under regional publisher Paul McArthur, who arrives at the company after four years at rival newspaper publisher GateHouse Media, most recently as SVP of sales. Gulledge is just one of three execs departing Lee Enterprises, whose 40-plus outlets serve markets in 20 states across the country. Don Rowley-who has spent a total of 23 years as publisher of the Arizona Daily Sun across two different stints, the latter of which began in 2003-separately announced his plans to retire at the end of the month, as did Marc Wilson, founder and chief executive of the online platform TownNews, of which Lee Enterprises has held a majority stake since 1995. The departures come as Lee Enterprises attempts to reduce its mounting debts-which, according to its most recent earnings report, have climbed to nearly $500 million-primarily by reducing headcount and printing costs. In June, Lee Enterprises further expanded its portfolio of local newspapers when it reached a deal with Berkshire Hathaway to manage its 26 local newspapers, including Virginia's Richmond Times-Dispatch and Nebraska's Omaha World-Herald-which laid off 10 staffers and eliminated a further 13 positions two months later. Read more