Chad Abshire

735 Meathouse Fork

Canada, KY 41519
(606) 422-2666
chad.abshire@gmail.com

Work History

Rawlins Daily Times – Rawlins, Wyo.

Editor
04/2015 – 05/2017
 Led an award-winning newsroom of diverse reporters, personally winning accolades for writing,
as well as leading reporters and designers to individual prizes from the Wyoming Press
Association.
 Sought out for professional advice by local leadership and coworkers on how things should be
handled regarding a variety of topics, including ad campaigns, special sections and policies.
 Identified as a prolific writer and editor, someone who was reliable and could get things done by
coworkers, local officials and the public.
 Took the reins on the renaissance of a glossy travel magazine that had grown stagnant and made
it into a new and improved, but still recognizable, product.
 Hired a first-time, hard-of-hearing reporter and witnessed immense growth in both his writing
style and confidence. As I left, he told me I had a "real passion" for his success.
 Defused a plagiarism situation in which my reporter had assumed that another newspaper was
part of the group. I made him understand the situation, how to properly cite and he grew into a
strong voice. The other newspaper was appreciative of my cooperation.
 Sought to push my reporters to greatness through allowing them autonomy, but also assigning
stories and guiding them to successful completion.
 Led daily design layouts and often participated in paginating the newspaper.
 Led the handling of special section layouts and design, often putting 30- to 40-page sections
together with eye-catching compositions.
 Taught graphic artists the rules of the newspaper’s layout through doing and showing rather than
telling.
 Wrote editorials giving the opinion of the newspaper on hard-hitting topics, typically local
happenings or localizing national events as to why the public should pay attention or care.
 Maintained a beat covering the City of Rawlins until I found a reporter able to handle it. Until
then, I successfully juggled that and my other responsibilities.
 Wrote other stories as needed, including court, crime, education, government and more.
 Regularly met with and coordinated with heads of state and Congress, and successfully pushed
for my publication to host a series of public forums for the 2016 election. I personally managed to
ensure Rep. Liz Cheney's attendance.

Peru Tribune – Peru, Ind.

Reporter
05/2013 – 04/2015
 Researched and wrote about the county's lack of methamphetamine treatment. This was used by
 county officials in their successful application to secure grant funding for treatment programs.
 Regularly met with and interviewed members of Congress, the mayor and heads of office in city,
county and town government administrations, as well as members of law enforcement including
state police, the sheriff, chief of police and prosecutor.
 Researched key local cultural insights by performing as a clown in the city's local three ring
circus. My performance, and subsequent reporting on it, won me several local fans, as well as fan
mail from a professional clown named “Cheezer.”
 Provided deep coverage of prolific court cases, including a high-profile criminal trial involving a
100+ year conviction.
 Interviewed a former surgeon accused of attempting to kill his wife while he was an inmate at the
jail.
 First source to break election results, garnering recognition from local, state and federal officials,
such as Rep. Jackie Walorski.
 Covered tornadoes that tore through the county, as well as the third heaviest-snowfall ever on
record.
 Singled out as one of the most prolific writers and productive story contributors among staff.
 Earned repeated commendations for excellence in writing, reporting and photography.
 Ran the newsroom for more than two months as interim editor.

Williamson Daily News

Editor/Reporter
03/2011 - 05/2013
 Helped in layout, decision making and reporting on the murder of the county sheriff.
 Managed team of three reporters, maintaining a fast-paced newsroom.
 Kept an active beat, covering three city governments and crime stories.
 Regularly interviewed members of Congress, as well as mayors and police chiefs.
 Developed stories, budgets and layout.
 Performed all editor duties for an additional weekly newspaper, The Gilbert Times.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in English – Creative Writing, Minor: Journalism

Eastern Kentucky University, December 2010

Skills

Soft Skills. Extensive experience in story development and news judgment; Interviewing public officials
like members of Congress, mayors, prosecutors, sheriffs and private citizens; Developing strong, reliable
sources; Creating a friendly, effective team atmosphere.

Technical Skills. Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Acrobat, inDesign, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
NewsEngin GPS, IQueWeb, Falcon Editorial Online, Apple, computer hardware and upgrades.
Other Relevant Projects

The Weekly All In

 Former writer for an online video game (StarCraft II) magazine called The Weekly All In.

 Worked remotely with five other people from different parts of the world, including France.

 Conducted interviews with players, streamers, important scene figures and writing stories
covering tournaments and other important events

 Worked with a graphic designer to create interesting compositions for each article.