CHARLESTON, W.Va — West Virginia Press Association Advertising Director Samantha Smith, who headed up the WVPA’s Press Services advertising agency operation for the last two years, has returned to the newspaper industry.
Smith left the WVPA at the end of 2015 to assume an advertising sale director position with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, West Virginia’s largest newspaper. As part of her new position, along with staff management, Smith will oversee political, legal, special sections, classified advertising sales efforts.
Smith, while already serving as advertising sales director with the Gazette-Mail, continues to assist the WVPA in operation of Press Services and the transition to new leadership. Her new contact information is [email protected] or 304-348-4858.
Toni Heady will assume many of Smith’s former duties at the WVPA. Heady’s contact information is 304-342-1011, ext. 164 , or [email protected]. Heady had been working in sales at the WVPA. Prior to the WVPA, Heady had worked at the Putnam Standard and in real estate.
Prior to serving as advertising director of the Press Services’ operations, Smith served as advertising director of The Inter-Mountain Newspaper in Elkins; taught business administration and sales at Davis and Elkins College; worked freelance for business publications doing interviews and writing articles for annual business publications; served as project manager and account administrator for a packaging design firm in New York; and as a licensed insurance sales professional with State Farm Agency.
Smith and her husband, Don, live in Charleston. They have three children, Kit, Abigail and Kate.
Heady and her husband, Jim, live in Putnam County.
