Gloria Fletcher has been named president of Sound Publishing, owner of the Courier-Herald newspapers.

Fletcher comes to Sound from Gatehouse Media, where she was regional vice president responsible for 85 publications spread over 13 states based in Joplin, Mo. Prior to Gatehouse, she was division vice president for Community Newspaper Holdings from 2000 to 2007, responsible for its Oklahoma group. She also worked for American Publishing Company from 1988 to 1999, after beginning her career working for a small daily in Woodward, Okla.

She is an honors graduate of the University of Oklahoma and serves on the board of directors of the Local Media Association (formerly Suburban Newspapers of America). She is married with two sons, ages 14 and 17.

She will take up her new position in April and will be relocating her family during the summer.

“I’m honored to join Sound Publishing and Black Press,” Fletcher said. “I’m anxious to be onsite to learn about the area, the plethora of print and digital news products and really get to know the many talented people who produce them.”

Fletcher’s appointment was announced March 26 by Rick O’Connor, chief operating officer of Black Press of Victoria, B.C., Sound Publishing’s parent company.

Based in Poulsbo and Bellevue, Wash., Sound Publishing Inc., owns and operates 38 community newspapers and 14 Little Nickel publications in the greater Puget Sound area.