ROCKINGHAM – The Richmond Observer announced this morning that it has promoted a regular contributor to the head of its newsroom.
Kyle Pillar, Observer reporter and an integral part of The Richmond Observer’s success since it launched on July 1, has been named managing editor of the digital media company’s newsroom.
Pillar wrote eighteen original stories in The Richmond Observer’s first month of publishing, and has been a part of the team since the Observer began hiring contributors back in May.
“We are excited to have an individual with the talent Kyle has to be a part of our team as managing editor,” said Kenny Melvin, co-founder of The Richmond Observer. “His proven ability as a writer in his contributions to the Observer will enhance the overall quality as he continues to write and now manage our publication.”
Pillar is also an eighth grade English Language Arts teacher at Ellerbe Middle School, and previously coached baseball and boys and girls cross country, leading the boys cross country team to conference titles in both 2015 and 2016. He is a 2013 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Media and Journalism. He freelanced for the university newspaper The Penn, and also freelanced in college for other western Pennsylvania newspapers including the Indiana Gazette.
“I’m really excited and honored to be a part of The Richmond Observer in this capacity,” said Pillar. “I want to be able to deliver the news that Richmond County wants, and I am excited to have the chance to help the paper progress in the community. I think the community needs a reliable news source, and I know The Richmond Observer will deliver that. Through my organizational skills and past experience, I can help this newspaper grow and give the people what they want in the news and the news they deserve.”
Pillar’s most notable experience came from working as a reporter with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as a sports reporter from August 2014 to January 2015. With the Tribune-Review, Pillar covered high school sports including football, volleyball, and cross country as well as minor league hockey.
Pillar left the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to move to Rockingham in January 2015 to be with his fiancée (now wife) Jordyn Pillar, a seventh grade math teacher at Rockingham Middle School. Kyle and Jordyn went to the same high school in Chambersburg, located in the south-central part of Pennsylvania. They met on graduation night, went on a date a few weeks later, and ultimately were married in 2016.
“My wife, Jordyn, has been my biggest supporter,” Pillar said. “She’s a phenomenal teacher who pushes me to be the best person and journalist I can be. She’s been overwhelmingly supportive in my transition with The Richmond Observer, and we are both excited to see the paper succeed.”
The Richmond Observer, in its commitment to hire local people, have hired two executive team staffers in the last week who resided in Richmond County at the time of their hiring. Just last week, Russell Parker, a longtime Richmond County native, was hired as the executive producer of Live at 5, The Richmond Observer’s flagship nightly news program, and the entire video division. The Observer is also looking to fill others positions and is in the process of hiring and interviewing now.
While Pillar will lead the newsroom, he will likely make appearances on future Richmond Observer original video programming as well, including a new sports show that is expected to debut this fall.
You can read new stories and more Monday-Saturday on richmondobserver.com.