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OUR MISSION:
To publish a multimedia-driven and truly independent news source; a medium where everyone who wants a voice, has one. To approach journalism armed with curiosity and even hands, reflecting the values ingrained in Western Montana.
The Flathead Beacon is devoted to delivering thought-provoking news and commentary to the greater Flathead Valley. Printed every week in tabloid form and updated daily at flatheadbeacon.com, the Beacon encourages its readers to participate in discussions about their valley.
The Beacon is a news source, in the traditional sense. Yet our seasoned journalists are asked to turn the prism when a story breaks, look at another angle and write stories that provide answers instead of pose questions. The print newspaper includes original in-depth coverage, analysis and commentary that matter to Flathead Valley residents.
More innovative is our approach to our Web site. By arming our staff with the latest in audio and video technology, flatheadbeacon.com is a unique platform and an equal partner to the print edition, not an afterthought. Flatheadbeacon.com is home to original stories, citizen-hosted blogs, multimedia presentations and more.
The Flathead Beacon is funded by television personality and 10-year Flathead Valley resident Maury Povich. Jonathan Weber, founder and publisher of Missoula-based NewWest.net, is the managing partner in the project and together with Povich recruited a team of local media professionals in late 2006. Tom Donnelly, of Frenchtown, an 18-year veteran of the publishing market, and Kellyn Brown, city editor at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, were recruited to create and launch the Flathead Beacon.
The Beacon is headquartered in historic downtown Kalispell.
OUR STAFF:
Tom Donnelly, publisher
Tom is a University of Montana graduate who has almost two decades of experience working in various roles associated with the publishing industry. Prior to accepting the role of publisher at the Flathead Beacon, Tom’s career had encompassed both manufacturing and distribution assignments that have spanned the globe. A devoted father of three boys, Tom and his wife have relocated their base camp of twelve years in Frenchtown, to the Flathead Valley.
Kellyn Brown, editor in chief
Kellyn is a University of Montana graduate who has spent the last several years covering crime, government and social issues as a writer and editor in the Rocky Mountain region. Upon graduating from UM in 2002, he was hired by The Associated Press to cover the North Dakota Legislature. He was then a crime reporter at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and won two regional awards for investigative reporting. Most recently, Kellyn was the city editor and a weekly columnist at the Chronicle before taking the job as editor in chief at the Flathead Beacon.
Lido Vizzutti, media director
Lido is a third-generation Montanan who -- upon graduating from the University of Montana in 2002 -- spent four years as a staff photographer at the Chattanooga Times Free Press; an 80,000-circulation newspaper in Chattanooga, Tenn. In 2005, Lido won a first-place regional award of excellence for his coverage of troops returning home from Iraq. His passion for photography is only matched by his passion for the great working institutions of newspapers and professional media. He is now the media director at the Flathead Beacon.
Stephen Templeton, art director
Before accepting the position of art director at the Flathead Beacon, Stephen had worked for The Intelligencer in Doylestown, Penn., where he recently won a first-place regional award for editorial cartooning. He is a graduate of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and The School Of Communication Arts (Raleigh N.C.). He worked for The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Va., and then for The Fayetteville Observer prior to moving to Pennsylvania in 2005.
Dan Testa, senior writer
Dan Testa recently graduated with a masters degree in print journalism from the University of Montana. As part of the degree, he reported on the 60th Montana Legislature for weekly newspapers throughout the state and NewWest.net. Prior to coming to Montana, Dan worked for five years at CNN in Atlanta, most recently as an associate producer and freelance national desk editor. He is a native of the Hudson Valley in New York and graduated from Colgate University in 2000.
Myers Reece, staff writer
Myers recently completed a history degree at the University of Montana. He is a lifelong Montana resident, born and raised in Livingston. He worked for the campus newspaper at UM for two years and has written for other Montana newspapers. His work has also appeared in the Big Sky Journal, Redbone Journal, the Riverbend Publishing Book Call of the Wild: The Art of Parks Reece and Flyfisher magazine.
Bob Hunt, marketing/advertising director
Bob earned his communications degree from Muskingum College in Ohio. He then worked at several newspapers, including the Racine (Wisconsin) Journal Times, Kewanee (Illinois) Star Courier and the Helena Independent Record. In Helena, Bob met his wife and the couple moved to the Flathead Valley. An 18-year resident of Kalispell, Bob was a Realtor and small-business owner before joining the Beacon staff. His focus is marketing and helping Flathead Valley businesses grow through advertising. The Hunts have a daughter in high school.
Kathy Carter (K.C.), office manager
Kathy grew up in North Carolina and moved to the Flathead Valley in 2001. Her hobbies include hiking, fishing and reading. Kathy’s family still lives in North Carolina and they love to come visit her in Montana whenever possible. Her professional background is in human resources; she joined the Flathead Beacon in April as the office manager. Part of her job is to try to keep seven men in line on a daily basis.
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