News employees recognized for their long service

By Medicine Hat News on December 8, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

Seven employees of the Medicine Hat News were recently recognized for their long-service anniversaries.

Leading the way were mailroom supervisor Darryl Lockwood and maintenance supervisor Glen Schmolke, each with 30 years under their belts. Twenty-year recognition went to Mary Rose, Melanie Robinson and Jason Rinke, all from advertising; and 10-year employees recognized were Multi Media editor Chris Brown and reporter Gillian Slade.

Darryl Lockwood

A member of the News’ staff since 1988, Lockwood is a native of Uranium City, Sask., who was raised in a variety of locations in northern Alberta. He moved to Medicine Hat in 1976.

When he started at the News, the mailroom handled one newspaper six days a week. “Now we manage nine different papers across two provinces.”

He was the winner of an in-house competition for new ideas in 2000. “One thing you can say about the newspaper industry, you will never be bored,” he said. Every day has new challenges. Thinking outside the box would be considered a job requirement.”

After 20 years, he said, “my vehicle definitely knows the way to work now.”

Darryl and his wife Doreen have one child and three grandchildren.

Glen Schmolke

A native of Medicine Hat who graduated from Hat High in 1975, Schmolke started employment in the mail room at the News back in 1988. He then moved to the circulation department for 18 years before moving over to his current situation — a dual role in the press room and mailroom.

“I might work one-third of my time in the press room and then two-thirds in the mailroom,” said Schmolke, who also took on janitorial work on a contract basis for a couple of years earlier this decade.

Schmolke and his wife Lynda have two children, son Erek and daughter Shalon.

Is retirement in the near future? “Nothing imminent,” said Schmolke. “I still enjoy my work.”

Mary Rose

Born in Lethbridge and raised in Redcliff, Rose worked in the banking industry for 10 years before staying home to raise her family. Her stint at the News began in 1998 when she took as part-time position in the tear-sheet department of advertising. Her position is now defined as sales support and includes doing data entry for the classified department, marking and balancing various newspapers and also covering desks in the advertising department as well as sending the tearsheets electronically.

She plans to retire in January. “I have enjoyed my time here and met and worked with many great people who I will miss,” she said.

Jason Rinke

An advertising sales consultant for both Prairie Post and the Medicine Hat News, Rinke is a Hat native who attended school at Crescent Heights. His post-secondary schooling was at Medicine Hat College, where in 1997 he earned a Business Administration diploma with a major in marketing. That led to a job at the News in January 1998, where he started at the bottom of the advertising department and worked his way up.

In April of 2000, he was hired by Jim Tennant as an advertising sales consultant for Prairie Post. In that role, he sells to, services and assists customers with all their advertising needs. In addition, he sells for the Medicine Hat News and its weekly newspapers in southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan.

Rinke and his high school sweetheart wife Trisha have two daughters, Meghan and Shaye. In his spare time Rinke enjoys playing hockey.

“I’m proud to have been a part of contributing to some of our successes that we have been recognized for at Prairie Post such as some of our Newspaper Association Awards. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ryan Dahlman, our managing editor, for over 18 years.”

Melanie Robinson

A practicum at the News from her Office Technology studies at Medicine Hat College led to a job for Melanie Robinson that started in April, 1998.

Starting in the classified advertising department as a classified advisor, Robinson moved to the multi-market sales department and later to her current position as outside sales consultant.

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Melanie has been in Medicine Hat for the past 21 years. She met her husband Dan in the Gas City and the couple has two children, Emily and Rhett.

Chris Brown

Brown stared at the News Feb. 4, 2008 serving as the night desk editor in charge of laying out the A section news pages. In the summer of 2009, he was appointed associate editor, with major responsibilities for the B section.

In addition to doing layout for the section, Brown started writing entertainment features. Not long after that he took over digital duties for the editorial department, such as the website, the Facebook and Twitter accounts and occasional video work.

He still does all these things and would like the thank those who supply him with water, coffee and candy that help him get through each day. “You know who you are,” he said.

Gillian Slade

Born in South Africa, the health and seniors reporter for the News emigrated to Canada in 1978 and has been a citizen since 1981.

She made a career change in 2003 and entered the world of journalism, freelancing for magazine publications.

After spending four years in Zambia, Slade returned to Canada and moved to Medicine Hat, joining Medicine Hat News in September, 2008. She said the “introduction to working for a newspaper was a steep learning curve that brought challenges and excitement.”

Being shortlisted for a national newspaper award in 2010, for coverage of the aftermath of the Cypress County flood, was a highlight of her career, as was covering the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first visit to Calgary during which local resident Frances Miller presented the Duchess with flowers.

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