SOUTHAM LOSES DIRECTOR AND PUBLISHER
By Adnews Staff
Southam Inc. has lost one of the few remaining Southam family members. Board member Wilson Southam resigned last week without publicly disclosing the reason for his departure. The Southam family has run the company for over 100 years, but Hollinger Inc.'s Conrad Black and Power Corp.'s Paul Desmarais now share effective control. Wilson Southam was involved with Southam's Infolab research and development facility in Hamilton, Ont., which has produced things such as a CD-ROM and book on a young girl's battle with cancer called Kate's Story. Peter Irwin is now handling the operation. He was hired earlier this year to oversee the company's ventures in new media such as electronic publishing. Southam publishes newspapers such as The Vancouver Sun, The Ottawa Citizen and The Gazette in Montreal. Separately, Calgary Herald president and publisher Kevin Peterson is leaving his post Jan. 1. A replacement is yet to be named. Peterson says his leaving was a mutual decision between Southam and himself.