A veteran journalist who’s led newspapers in four states has been named editor of The Wake Weekly and the Butner-Creedmoor News.

Gary Band started work in the Wake Forest and Creedmoor newsrooms on Monday, Publisher Keven Zepezauer announced. He succeeds Shawn Taylor, who served as editor through mid-November.

“We’re excited to bring Gary on board to lead our newsgathering efforts in Wake, Franklin and Granville counties and look forward to the important work he and his teams will produce,” said Zepezauer, the president of parent company Restoration NewsMedia. “Gary will continue a long and proud tradition of serving the public by keeping these communities informed.”

Band has nearly 20 years of experience as a reporter, editor and communications industry professional. Prior to a one-year stint as COVID-19 administrator for the Wake County Public School System’s health services division, he served as managing editor of The Warren Record in Warrenton.

From 1999 to 2016, Band worked as associate editor, managing editor and editor of newspapers in Massachusetts, Vermont and New York. After moving to North Carolina in 2016, he served as a freelance writer for N.C. State University and a Colorado-based online publication covering the hemp industry.

“I’m grateful for and inspired by this opportunity,” Band said. “The greater Wake Forest, Butner and Creedmoor communities are among the best places to live in the country. I look forward to meeting with municipal leaders, business owners and citizens to learn as much as possible about these strong communities.”

Band will work closely with sports editor Marty Simpkins and reporter Amber Revels-Stocks at The Wake Weekly and news editor Amanda Dixon at the Butner-Creedmoor News to provide comprehensive coverage online each day and in the newspapers’ weekly print editions, which are published every Friday.

“With their talent, hard work and dedication, we will continue to cover the ongoing evolution of this amazing area and create papers worthy of our readership,” he said. “It’s an honor to be among those who make these communities what they are and the long line of editors and reporters who came before me.”

The Butner-Creedmoor News earned eight awards and The Wake Weekly brought home seven in the North Carolina Press Association’s 2020 News, Editorial and Photojournalism Contest.

“The Wake Weekly and Butner-Creedmoor News have distinguished themselves as small papers capable of doing big things and functioning as independent watchdogs for the public they serve,” said Corey Friedman, Restoration NewsMedia’s executive editor. “We’re confident that Gary will continue that tradition and help both newspapers fulfill their mission to inform, uplift, inspire and challenge.”

Band is based at The Wake Weekly’s 229 E. Owen St. office in downtown Wake Forest and will also spend time at The Butner-Creedmoor News’ office at 109 S. Elm St. in Creedmoor. He can be reached at 919-424-1780 and gband@wakeweekly.com.