The Greenfield Vedette Welcomes Gina Langston

by Kayla Rinker

While she’s definitely happy for the opportunity to return to her roots, Gina Langston is even more excited to help The Vedette and local businesses grow to their full potential.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting people in the community and forming relationships so that I can better help them grow their businesses and meet their newspaper needs,” said Langston, the new Publisher and General Manager of The Vedette and Lake Stockton Shopper (LSS). “I want to keep the aspects of the paper that people have grown to count on the same, while also bringing some changes that might appeal to the younger reader and grow our community.”

Langston is a 2001 graduate of Miller High School and has an A.A.S. in graphic design technology from OTC. Langston spent five years at The Lawrence County Record under the direction of longtime editor, Kathy Fairchild. In October 2015 she was hired to be The Joplin Globe’s Graphic Design Team Lead and was quickly promoted to Creative Services Supervisor. She won multiple design awards for her work at The Record and The Globe, including the Missouri Ad Manager’s Association (MAMA) Best Ad Designer for Weeklies in 2015 and the MAMA Third Best Ad Designer for Dailies in 2017.

“Gina has the ability and the personality to take the paper forward to where it needs to go,” said Marlene DeClue, who is retiring after 35 years of service to the The Vedette. “I’m old school and she’s new school. We have a special thing here at our sweet community paper and I just know Gina can keep things going strong. I feel it. And because of that, I have no problems walking away.”

Having lived in Lawrence and Dade counties her entire life, Langston also brings a genuine love for the people she will be serving in her new position. She is married to Paul Langston and has five children: Benjamen, 16; Joey, 14; Charlie, 8; Reagan, 4; and Liam, 3. She is the daughter of the late Randy Nash, who was named employee of the month two times while at Pennington Seed, and the late Patti (Wooldridge) Nash, who graduated from Greenfield High School in 1976 and was a dedicated nurse for 31 years. Her grandmother, the late Janie Wooldridge, served at the Dade County Nursing Home for 31 years and even helped Langston get her first job there when she was 18.

Phil Calian, co-founder and manager of Lewis County Press, owner of The Vedette, hired Langston for this position. He believes her energy level and respect for The Vedette’s readers and advertisers is similar to her predecessor, Marlene DeClue.

“Gina is a perfect fit for The Vedette,” said Calian. “We would like Gina to broaden and deepen our reach so that more residents in Dade County receive the news how, when, and where they want it. The Vedette has thrived for the past 150 years. We want it to continue to engage readers and thrive for the next 150 years.”