Profile: Tonya Echols

By José F. Padua

First Published: December 2007

Personal Data

Date of birth: Aug. 2, 1973

Grew up in: Knoxville, Tenn..

Personal: Single.

Hobbies/Diversions: Reading, movies, travel college football, borderline addiction to the History Channel.

Education: 1995, B.A., business administration, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Career: 1995-98, senior auditor, Arthur Andersen, LLP in Atlanta; 1998-2002, senior financial analyst, assistant controller, Internet operations/cost control, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; 2002-present, manager of financial operations,  director of business intelligence/operations, executive director, COXnet, Atlanta.

Connections: COXnet, 530 Means St., Ste. 200, Atlanta, Ga. 30318, (404) 572-1814, techols@coxnews.com

Tonya Echols' first brush with the newspaper business came in high school when she wrote articles for her hometown newspaper, the News Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn. Now executive director of the COXnet division of Cox Newspapers Inc. in Atlanta, Echols took a path to the industry that involved a bit of a detour.

"My first official job out of college," says Echols, 34, "was working for Arthur Andersen as an auditor," which took her to Atlanta. "I had always intended to go into business," she explains, "but my project writing for the newspaper was a very interesting and, looking back, prophetic opportunity."

The skills she learned in college and developed as an auditor served her well when she returned to the newspaper industry as senior financial analyst for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"Tonya has a strong financial background," notes John Reetz, general manager of COXnet. She "helps keep us on track and on budget, but she also understands the necessity of flexibility in managing an ever-changing Web business."

Before Cox Enterprises reorganized its digital efforts across all divisions five years ago, Reetz says, the COXnet unit was primarily print-focused. The reorganization changed that, and COXnet became the unit responsible for charting the Internet growth of Cox Newspapers Inc.

Echols was there from the beginning of these efforts, and her duties expanded from the strictly financial (her first position at COXnet was manager of financial operations) to her present position as executive director. Her leadership has been a crucial part of COXnet's success and the success of Cox Newspapers' increased involvement in the digital realm, Reetz says.

As a leader, Echols operates in a fashion similar to that of a good Web site, allowing her team a high degree of engagement and interaction.

Five Questions
 

1. What's the most challenging aspect of your job?

The perpetual state of change that surrounds the online industry. The needs of our audiences, advertisers and the newspapers can change in very short period of time, and a big part of my job involves working with others to address those needs quickly. Although it can be challenging, this is also a very exciting time for newspapers online, and I am happy to be a part of it all.

2. What's the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing a project come to completion, and the way various teams of people across the organization work together to take an idea that may have started in a 30-minute meeting and turn it into something that really benefits the newspaper sites and their audiences.

3. In what ways do you think your current position will change over the next five years?

My position has changed and expanded every year for the past five years, so that is a tough one to answer! The best answer I can give is that I hope my current position continues to grow in any way needed to meet the needs of COXnet and the Cox newspapers.

4. What's the best career advice anyone ever gave you?

Don't be afraid to say you don't know, but you better make sure you take the time to find out. (I left out a few expletives, but you get the idea).

"What you do now is the foundation for your future." That one came from my mom, so it technically wasn't career advice, and at 8 years old, I didn't really get it. But eventually I did, and I thank her for that to this day.

5. What three things would you change about the newspaper industry?

• We need to educate the public on all the great things newspapers are doing in print and online. We have to stop beating ourselves up!
• More focus on reaching younger and alternative audiences, even if it means using nontraditional methods to engage them.
• Structure: As our industry changes, there are new opportunities within newspapers. We have to find ways to attract the best talent in areas outside of our historical structure and organize ourselves to be better prepared for the future.