The next editor of The Daily News will be a familiar face to many in Kamloops - Robert Koopmans was announced today as the man who will take over from Mel Rothenburger.
Daily News publisher Tim Shoults made the appointment, which will take effect after Rothenburger - who has been with the paper since 1970 - retires Sept. 14.
Koopmans has been in the newspaper business for more than 24 years, starting at the Surrey Leader and the Chilliwack Progress before coming to the Daily News in 1992 as a photographer.
He became a reporter with the paper in 1995. He currently serves as an associate news editor in charge of special publications, including Kamloops Business and Currents magazines.
Koopmans has won numerous awards for photography, writing and special features from the Western Canadian News Photographers Association, the B.C. Newspaper Awards and has been nominated for a National Newspaper Awards and five Jack Webster Awards. He was also named editorial employee of the year in Glacier Media's President's Club in 2010.
He is a graduate of the Western Pacific Academy of Photography in Victoria and is currently working towards a Masters of Professional Communications degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria, which he will complete in July 2013.
"Robert's passion for excellence in journalism, both in print and online, his years of experience and expertise and his desire to learn and grow, and to see the Daily News maintain and expand its position as Kamloops' news leader, will serve us all well for many years to come," said Shoults.
