NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessean newspaper's president and publisher, Ellen Leifeld, is retiring and Gannett Co. Inc. has named Carol Hudler to replace her.

The appointment was announced Monday by Bob Dickey, president of Gannett's U.S. Community Publishing Division.

Hudler, 54, has been president and publisher of The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., since 2000. She is also president of Gannett's South Newspaper Group, which is relocating to Nashville.

Leifeld, 55, has been with Gannett for more than 30 years, starting her career as a reporter. She has been publisher of The Tennessean since September 2005.

Hudler, a native of Kansas, has worked in a variety of advertising, marketing and general management positions at newspapers around the country and is a board member of the Newspaper Association of America.

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