The Taylors' son, Zane Taylor, who has served as general manager of the newspaper and runs The Times-Independent print shop, will follow in his parents' footsteps as the newspaper's new publisher. Lisa Church, who for the past seven years has covered news and features as a reporter for the Times, will assume the role of editor.
Adrien Taylor has served as editor of The Times-Independent for the past seven years. Along with her husband, Sam, she has been the newspaper's co-publisher for many years, and has also served as news editor as well as filling a variety of other jobs throughout her 45-years with the Times.
Her career in the newspaper business has been a distinguished one that includes many awards and honors. Taylor has served as president of both the National Newspaper Association (NNA) and the Utah Press Association. She was awarded the NNA's Emma C. McKinney award for outstanding newspaper service in 1995, and was named Most Outstanding Utah Republican Woman by the Utah Federation of Republican Women in 1987. Taylor has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the College of Eastern Utah, and has served on a variety of statewide and local service boards throughout her career. She moved to Moab in 1955 and married Sam Taylor in 1961.
"The copy of the Times you hold in your hand today has been produced by a completely different staff than the one produced 10 years ago, with the exception of Sam and me," Taylor said. "The technology has also changed considerably in that time. Yet I think the readers will find the paper has much the same feel now as it had then, and I expect that to continue in the future."
Sam Taylor has been The Times-Independent's publisher for more than 50 years, and has also served as editor, pressman, and most every other job as needed through the decades. Born and raised in Moab, Taylor has lived and worked around the newspaper most of his life. He became publisher and editor in 1956 after his father retired from the family business.
Throughout his career, Taylor has been president of the NNA and the Utah Press Association, served as state senator, school board president, and a city planning commissioner, and he has received numerous awards for his news writing and his contributions to the newspaper industry. He was awarded honorary doctorate degrees by both the College of Eastern Utah and Southern Utah University. He served 21 years on the Utah Transportation Commssion, the last nine years as chairman.
Zane W. Taylor was born and raised in Moab where he attended high school and graduated with honors. He attended the University of Utah and attained a bachelor of science degree in geography.
Taylor began working again at The Times-Independent in 1998 in the pressroom when longtime pressman Ron Drake stepped down, and has seen through production of each week's paper to this date, along with upgrading almost all production equipment.
Taylor has worked for various river outfitters through and beyond his college years, and remains active in the river community. He has been a member of the Moab Lions Club since 2003, and currently serves as president.
As publisher of The Times-Independent, Taylor will oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the newspaper.
Lisa Church has lived in Moab since 1995. She has worked as a freelance writer for the past 19 years, writing articles for magazines and newspapers including The Salt Lake Tribune, High Country News and The Times-Independent.
Church holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and completed three years of graduate study at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. before moving to Kansas City, Mo. in 1987. She has worked as a college English instructor, and a marketing director for both arts and education non-profit organizations.
Church has served as editor of two monthly trade magazines ‒ one covering the paving industry in Canada and another focused on industrial lift equipment. She has also served as editor of a weekly newspaper in Kansas City, assistant editor of the monthly Kansas City Magazine, and assistant editor of a weekly newspaper in Parkville, Mo.
"I'm excited and honored to be named editor of The Times-Independent," Church said. "The newspaper serves a vital role in the community, and I look forward to continuing the tradition established by Adrien and Sam of providing fair, objective, and meaningful coverage of the issues facing Moab and Grand County today."
As editor, Church will supervise and direct the newspaper's writing staff and will be responsible for managing the overall content of the Times.
The Taylors also announced major changes in The Times-Independent's production and advertising staff. Longtime employee Sadie Warner has been named the new production designer, responsible for overseeing the look and feel of the newspaper. Lola McElhaney joined the newspaper's advertising/graphic design staff in December, and Chris Michaud has come onboard as production assistant. The couple's eldest son, Tom, will serve as the Times' circulation manager and sports editor.
Tom Taylor was born and raised in Moab and grew up working and playing in and around the newspaper. He graduated from Utah State University and after working in the investment industry for seven years, moved back to Moab to again work in the newspaper business.
His responsibilities at the newspaper include being the sports editor, circulation manager, staff photographer and overall catch-all for questions or problems that arise.
He is a single parent of four children and two cats. His oldest daughter Allyssa is working in Seattle, Wash. His older son Zane is a student and football player for the University of Utah. His younger two children, Abigail and Zachary, live here in Moab and are both students at Grand County High School. They both participate in sports and drama. His two cats, Jelly and Apricot, are spoiled.
Native to Moab, Warner has worked at the Times since 1998. Beginning as an intern, she has written stories, sold and designed advertising and managed the office. She has also worked with the online edition, www.moabtimes.com, since 2002.
Warner says production is her passion. She enjoys the creativity offered by designing the newspaper pages. Mentored by editors Sena (Flanders) Hauer and Adrien Taylor, Warner learned the art of computer pagination. With the help of a technical apptitude, she has become the office software expert.
As production designer, Warner's new job will be to oversee production, which includes working with the printer and advertising staff to plan the size of each edition and with the editor to decide story placement. Print quality, graphic design and general presentation will be her key responsibilities.
Chris Michaud works in classified advertising and general production at The Times. He grew up in eastern Massachusetts. He attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where, in 1997, he received a bachelor's degree in wildlife biology with a concentration in ornithology.
Michaud has worked with shore birds off the coast of Conneticut and with California Condors in the Arizona Strip. Since moving to Moab in 1999 he has worked on projects studying neotropical migrants and native fish in the Grand Canyon, Willow Flycatchers and Southwestern Spotted Owls in Desolation Canyon and neotropical migrants along the Green and Colorado Rivers in Canyonlands National Park.
Over the last seven years, Michaud has also worked as a commercial river guide on the Green and Yampa rivers in Dinosaur National Monument, the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park and the Dolores River. He resides in Castle Valley, and enjoys backpacking, hiking, paddling and riding in the remote backcountry of southeastern Utah.
Lola McElhaney moved to Moab with her family at the age of seven in May of 1955 and started 2nd grade at HMK School the year it opened. She graduated from the Grand County Adult Education program in 1972 and after a few years of life interrupting formal education, she received a bachelor's degree from Westminster College of Salt Lake City in 1990.
Lola began her career in the printing/publishing industry at the age of 30.
"For quite some time I felt I would end up working for The Times-Independent some day and when I was offered this job last fall, I felt the time was right," McElhaney said. "I really love the creative opportunity that graphic arts offers me."
Her work at The Times-Independent is concentrated mostly on creating ads and printed materials for customers.
"I like working with people and helping them to get their message across. I will also be helping with page layout and working with the editor in story placement."