Par Ridder Sets a New Course Across the River

In a world  of monopoly dailies turning unprofitable, Anna Nicole Smith's death receiving head-of-state 'round the clock cable coverage and the Administration giving the Washington Post credit for prodding it into action, it's easy to say; "Nothing would surprise anymore."

Then you open up your morning browser, and what do you find?

Par Ridder named Star Tribune publisher

Anyone who knew Knight Ridder and the Ridders might be surprised. But anyone who's worked in Saint Paul -- as I was fortunate to do from 1986-1997 -- would be shocked. Par, who is 38, wrote a to-the-point farewell letter to the newspaper's staff, which you can find below. He noted that it had long been the practice  that a PP staffer defecting to the Strib would immediately clean out his desk and leave the building (actually started in the days of #2 pencil to #2 pencil staff raiding in the '90s).

The Pioneer Press wasn't a Knight Ridder paper as much as a Ridder paper. You had to be there, about 15 years ago, when four Ridders made their presence known. Par wasn't yet among them, but his uncle, father, grandfather and great-grandfather were.  Tony, his dad
(Par is for P. Anthony Ridder, Jr. ), had come to town as CEO to advocate a new company-wide circulation initiative.

The object of his advocacy: his brother Peter, Par's uncle, who was then publisher. As we on the executive committee met in the basement conference room, only one picture hung on the wall amid front pages from the paper's storied  past. It was an oil of Bernie Ridder, Sr. And then the door opened, and in walked Bernie Ridder, Jr., Par's grand-dad.  It was a quite a reunion.