Last week, the Minnesota Daily Board of Directors selected the newspaper’s leaders for next year.

Juniors Mike Hendrickson and Kathryn Chlystek will serve as as next editor in chief and business operations officer, respectively.

The board chose the two after a process that included feedback from current Daily employees and a round of interviews Thursday.

“We want student leaders who can embrace and put into effect the values and best practices … of the Daily,” said Gayle Golden, chair of the Minnesota Daily Board of Directors.

Editor in Chief

Journalism major Mike Hendrickson started at the Daily during the fall of his sophomore year as a sports reporter.

He was promoted to assistant sports editor before moving to the newsroom this spring, where he primarily covers cops and courts.

“I wanted to get a better idea of how the entire newspaper operated, and I felt putting myself physically in the newsroom was the best way to do that,” he said.

As the top editor, Hendrickson hopes to continue the momentum of the Daily’s digital-first strategy and restructure how certain editorial areas are covered.

“I have a vision for where the Daily needs to go, and I want to make sure that vision comes to fruition,” he said.

Business Operations Officer

Kathryn Chlystek is a strategic communications major with a focus in advertising.

She joined the Daily in the spring of 2016 as a photo intern before transferring to the business department this fall.

“I’ve always been passionate about marketing and media, so applying to the marketing department seemed like a good fit … Now that I’ve gotten a taste of business operations, I want to delve into it more,” she said.

Chlystek said maintaining the Daily’s growing online presence is a goal for next year.

“Next year we will focus on growth and making sure the platforms are the best that they can be,” she said.

Hendrickson and Chlystek are training for their new roles and will take over the positions at the end of the Daily’s spring publishing session in May.\