After 14 years at The Reflector, Laura Venneri has resigned.
Venneri, the publisher of North County’s paper since April 2017, was hired as a part-time sales representative in 2004 by Marvin Case, the owner and publisher at that time.
After joining The Reflector full time, Venneri held the roles of ad director then general manager before becoming publisher.
“Laura has been such a valuable asset at The Reflector,” said Jenifer Lafromboise Falcon, owner of Lafromboise Communications, Inc., the paper’s parent company. “When we offered her the general manager job she stepped up and blossomed into an incredible, exceptional leader and it has been my pleasure working with her. Her love and compassion for this community is inspiring to me.”
Under Venneri’s watch, The Reflector won its first ever Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award in winter 2017.
“I have leaned on Laura throughout the past few years when I needed a level-headed assessment of our operations,” said Michael Wagar, president of Lafromboise Communications, Inc. “She is a professional, about as organized as anyone around, but to me, her care for the team at The Reflector is what separates her from other leaders. She promises we will be fine as she moves on, but she is going to be hard to follow. I do agree with her that she has set up the paper to continue to succeed after she leaves on Friday.”
Case, who owned and operated the The Reflector’s for 30 years, also spoke of the valuable role Venneri has played in the paper’s success since he stepped away.
“Since I sold the newspaper in 2010, Laura has taken on greater responsibilities, rising to general manager and publisher,” he said.
“The newspaper has been blessed to have her dedication over the years and has greatly benefited from her presence.”
“Laura proved to be a hard-working and loyal employee” Case said of his time working with Venneri after hiring her. “She established great relationships with advertising clients. She was careful with small details. She quickly learned the ins and outs of newspaper advertising and applied her skills very well.”
Aside from her role at The Reflector, Venneri is well-known in the area as a Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce board member and through her involvement with North County’s equestrian community.
Venneri is beloved by The Reflector’s staff.
“Laura’s cordial leadership style has made her as much of a friend as she is a boss,” said Jonathan Haukaas, editor of The Reflector. “ She certainly challenged and asked a lot of us, but she was able to foster a work environment where each one of us understands the important role we play in getting the news onto North County doorsteps each week. We will all miss her.”
“I will miss all of my coworkers — they are the most amazing group of individuals,” Venneri said. “We’ve all worked hard, laughed a lot, and become a close knit family. No drama, no big issues, just the same common goal of supporting each other and creating the best publication possible. They really are the best.”
Venneri’s next role will be as Operations Assistant for a construction company in Battle Ground, where, among other things, she will help in the development of training programs, operational procedures and employee career paths for a company with nearly 500 employees.
“I am excited to change industries,” she said. “I’ve worked in bankruptcy claims processing, a college communications department, health insurance, a newspaper, and now I will expand my experiences to add the construction industry. It’s an amazing opportunity that was presented to me. I am also happy that I can continue to work in Battle Ground and be a part of the community.”
“She is going to be greatly missed,” Lafromboise Falcon said. “I wish her the best and am sure she will be phenomenal in her new job. They are lucky to have her.”
Tara Meek, a current sales representative at The Reflector, resident of Battle Ground and mother of two Battle Ground High School students, will serve as interim general manager upon Venneri’s departure Friday.
“The staff sent a strong signal of support for Tara and are confident of her abilities to help us during these transitional times,” Wagar said.
