20 Under 40 - 1999 Profile: Cheryl Ebright

PRESSTIME

By Presstime Magazine

First Published: December 1999

For Cheryl Ebright, from adversity comes strength­such as the time the San Angelo (Texas) Standard-Times goofed on a major retailer's time-sensitive advertisement and Ebright tried to make amends by running the correct version the following day.

The angry store manager told Ebright, "It doesn't matter if you think this is the right answer. I'm the customer, and it's not right for me." She notes, "Those are hard lessons you learn."

"Some of it is the school of hard knocks. But what I hope is that all of us keep learning and enjoying learning," she says now. She has carried that message to The Fresno (Calif.) Bee, where, as director of sales and marketing strategy, Ebright oversees not only all advertising but also the content of the paper's World Wide Web site.

At The Modesto (Calif.) Bee, she helped develop a blueprint for improving efficiency. Asked to quantify Ebright's contributions, Modesto Bee Publisher Orage Quarles III calls her impact long-term as a "real strategic planner."

Ebright applies a gentle touch to both advertisers and staff. "She's a very good motivator and has a personable and personal way. She's demanding yet understanding. She's been an immediate hit here in Fresno," says her current publisher, Keith Moyer.

Ebright recalls her late father as a major influence. The director of quality training for Gallo Winery in Modesto, Roger Ebright believed that while some people may take advantage of you, most will not.

"That's more of a people comment than anything," says his daughter. "Cynicism doesn't get you anywhere. I'm not naive, [but] there is that fundamental things-are-good attitude that you're raised with, I guess.

"I'm 39. I don't have all the answers. But that's probably good because the answer for next week may be different anyway!"

Education: 1979, A.A., Modesto Junior College; 1982, B.A., California State University, Sacramento.
Career: 1982-83, account executive, Pennysavers in Sacramento ; 1983-84, assistant retail manager, This Week in Solano and Napa Counties, Calif.; 1984-85, retail-sales supervisor, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.; 1985-87, retail-advertising manager, Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal; 1987-96, advertising director, San Angelo Standard-Times; 1996-97, director of sales and marketing, The Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle; 1997-99, advertising director, The Modesto Bee; 1999-present, director of sales and marketing strategy, The Fresno Bee.
Personal: Age, 39. Born, Oakdale, Calif. Married, husband Brad Dell.
Diversions: Cooking, gardening, traveling.
Connections: The Fresno Bee, 1626 E St., Fresno, Calif. 93786. E-mail, cebright@fresnobee.com; phone, (559) 441-6143; fax, (559) 441-6458.