{"id":1314032,"date":"2019-08-27T16:10:49","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T22:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/?p=986664"},"modified":"2019-08-27T16:10:49","modified_gmt":"2019-08-27T22:10:49","slug":"new-post-independent-editor-peter-baumann-is-ready-to-lead-conversations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/new-post-independent-editor-peter-baumann-is-ready-to-lead-conversations\/","title":{"rendered":"New Post Independent editor Peter Baumann is ready to lead conversations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Peter
The new Post Independent editor Peter Baumann starts in his new position on Aug. 28.<\/strong>
Chelsea Self<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

After a blown-out tire on his U-Haul truck left him on the side of the road for four hours, Peter Baumann wondered if that was a bad sign.<\/p>\n

Last week, he left the role of managing editor of the Duluth News Tribune<\/a> in Minnesota and was making his way west to take on the editor\u2019s hat at the Glenwood Springs Post Independent \u2014 a position he takes charge of today.<\/p>\n

The move from the port city near Lake Superior to the Colorado Rocky Mountains proved to be more pleasant after the tire incident. More than 1,000 miles and an extra overnight stop at Des Moines later, Baumann made it to Glenwood Springs, where he is now \u201c60% settled in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the items that didn\u2019t make the moving truck was his reach-in freezer, often used to keep wild game meat.<\/p>\n

An occasional hunter in his native Wyoming, Baumann hopes to have better luck deer hunting in Garfield County than he had in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wolves there were definitely more successful than I was,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Passionate for the outdoors, the 35-year-old said he wants to see more outdoor and recreation content in the Post Independent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an area within the United States where everyone works two or three jobs and still go rock climbing or snowboarding,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople live here because of their passions, and we can highlight those stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

An unexpected phone call<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Holding a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming, Baumann has about seven years of news editorship experience.<\/p>\n

The first time Baumann held a newspaper editor position was in 2013 at the Laramie Boomerang<\/a> in Wyoming \u2014 where he was promoted twice by the paper\u2019s publisher \u2014 from reporter to assistant editor to managing editor.<\/p>\n

When the Post Independent position became available in June, Baumann\u2019s phone rung. It was that same publisher from Wyoming, Jerry Raehal, who now leads the Glenwood Springs newspaper.<\/p>\n

For Raehal, reaching out to Baumann was a mater of \u2018it\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our field, you can see the non-definable \u2018it\u2019 that people have or don\u2019t have when it comes to journalism,\u201d Raehal said. \u201cThat \u2018it\u2019 can be knowing a good story, when to press, or when to pass, or how to handle something. From the moment I met Peter, it was clear he had \u2018it.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cCombine \u2018it\u2019 with his passion for journalism, his coaching and his strong work ethic, and it was easy to see why he was promoted when I was with him, and why he continued to be promoted afterward. We\u2019re excited see what he does here in Garfield County.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baumann is downsizing from leading a 15-person newsroom in Minnesota to an editorial staff of nine at the Post Independent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy helping reporters and photographers do their jobs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

With a smaller staff, Baumann hopes to explore an individualized approach to leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the challenges was that it was getting hard for me to give the amount of time each one of them deserved,\u201d Baumann said.<\/p>\n

Taking the lead<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The new Post Independent editor officially starts on his new role Wednesday, with a 10-day boarding plan that includes company-wide meetings and trainings, before the complete handover from the PI\u2019s current editor John Stroud.<\/p>\n

Stroud, a longtime Post Independent reporter who stepped into the editor\u2019s position in January 2018, is transitioning to a senior reporter role and will act as a managing editor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as I\u2019ve enjoyed being the lead editor of your community newspaper, I\u2019ve come to the realization that my true passion is reporting,\u201d explained Stroud in his last column as an editor<\/a> in July.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am incredibly appreciative of having John with us,\u201d said Baumann. \u201cHe has considerable institutional knowledge of the area and to have him as a resource and guide for myself and the newsroom is incredibly valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Baumann, journalism is an industry \u201cevolving at an uncomfortable pace,\u201d but his first impression is that the Roaring Fork Valley seems to go against the negative impacts of this trend.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy impression is that people here want to be informed and care about their local news organizations,\u201d said Baumann, who also appreciates the diversity of opinions across Garfield County.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like that opinions are mixed here. That leads to great conversations and stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Baumann takes his time to explore the area, he hopes to get suggestions from the readers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have something that you think I should discover or know about, please let me know,\u201d he said. \u201cThere may be an opportunity to meet people and talk about the news.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baumann can be reached at (970) 384-9114 or at pbaumann@postindependent.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We took our new editor to one of the most popular spots in Glenwood Springs, the Doc Holliday\u2019s Grave Trailhead, where he got to talk about his first impressions of the area and his expectations for the new job.<\/p>\n

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