By Debbie Irmen and Jennifer Rogers, Tribune staff writers

Scott Schmeltzer was named publisher of the Albert Lea Tribune Wednesday effective immediately.

&uot;I’m looking forward to continuing with the high standards set by the previous publisher, Christine Moser,&uot; Schmeltzer said. &uot;Our team is driven to make the Albert Lea Tribune the best newspaper for this community with our coverage of local, state and national news, with an emphasis on local news.&uot;

One of his first actions was to name Crystal Miller to the retail advertising director’s position.

&uot;She has proven to be an outstanding advertising consultant,&uot; he said of the decision. &uot;Her enthusiam will add emensely to our all ready strong team.&uot;

In addition to hiring duties, Schmeltzer will oversee all departments of the Tribune operation,

from advertising to news to circulation and classified.

&uot;Our editor, Debbie Irmen, has connected so well with the community,&uot; he said, adding, &uot;I

appreciate her common sense approach to local news coverage and expect that commitment to continue. I also look foward to developing, with her assistance, pages designed for our very young readers.

&uot;Local issues, local sports, they will continue to be a priority, along with more stories on the unique and interesting people in our area.&uot; he said.

A member of Rotary, the Chamber Ambassadors and the United Way campaign, he

also plans to remain involved in the community.

Schmeltzer joined the Tribune team in August as the advertising director, following several years with the Murphy McGinnis Media newspapers in northern Minnesota.designed for our very young readers.

&uot;Local issues, local sports, they will continue to be a priority, along with more stories on the unique and interesting people in our area.&uot; he said.

A member of Rotary, the Chamber Ambassadors and the United Way campaign, he

also plans to remain involved in the community.

Schmeltzer joined the Tribune team in August as the advertising director, following several years with the Murphy McGinnis Media newspapers in northern Minnesota.

Miller, named advertising director on Thursday, has been with the Tribune since September 2002.

She was taken under the wings of former Tribune advertising directors, Kevin True and Scott

Schmeltzer, and served as interim manager between the two hirings.

&uot;I have gradually taken on the responsibilities of the position, learning what it takes both physically, with things that need to be done, and mentally, with managing people and situations,&uot; said Miller.

Miller graduated the Minneapolis Business College in Roseville in 1997, with a degree in graphic design.

&uot;My first job after graduation was in graphic design and I was there for two years, but I didn’t like it,&uot; said Miller, &uot;I never got to talk to anyone, and I love to work with people.&uot;

She worked at the Owatonna People’s Press newspaper before moving to the Tribune.

Between those two jobs she married David Miller, the assistant general manager of the Timber Lodge Steakhouse in Owatonna. They have a daughter, Lauren, 2.

&uot;I enjoy working at the Tribune because everyone is fun to work with, we all get along and everyone has great respect for each other,&uot; she said. &uot;I am looking forward to continually improving the relationship between the community, businesses and the Tribune.&uot;