Crystal Richard named Leader publisher
Crystal S. Richard has been named Publisher of The Ruston Daily Leader, effective today. The announcement was made by Dona H. Smith, operations manager and vice president of Newspaper Service Company, Inc. which manages the newspaper.
“I pledge that our staff of your friends and neighbors will bring you, our readers, advertisers and the community at-large, the best local newspaper we can each day,” Crystal said.
“Ruston and Lincoln Parish deserve no less, and I take the responsibility of serving you very seriously—but we plan on having a lot of fun with it, too, as we continue to promote the arts, church life, entertainment, sports and the best aspects of life in general in our hometown.”
Ruston Leader General Manager and Ruston native Cody Richard (no relation to Crystal) will continue in his present capacity of General Manager at The Leader, a role in which he has served since 2011.
Crystal was born in Ruston before moving around with her family in Louisiana. She graduated from West Monroe High School and is a 1988 graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in marketing. Additionally, she is a 1994 graduate of LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center and a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association.
Crystal has been working in administration and advertising at The Leader, and has served as legal counsel and business administrator for the Fackelman group, representing owners and managers of The Ruston Daily Leader and seven other community newspapers located in five states.
She and her husband, Marc, reside in Ruston with their Ruston High Bearcat, Cayla. Their other two children are Melanie C.R. Brown, currently a student at LSU’s Law Center, and Nolan, a graduate of the Louisiana Tech University Biomedical Engineering program, who works for Haemonetics in Maryland. When he graduated, Nolan marked the milestone of being a third-generation Tech Bulldog.
Crystal and Marc are members of First Baptist Ruston. Crystal is a member of Goodwill Lunching in Ruston and is an alumnus of The Phi Mu Fraternity at Louisiana Tech.
“Since our meeting at Louisiana Tech and marrying at Emmanuel Baptist Church here in Ruston in ‘86, Marc and I have always found Ruston to be home—no matter where we lived,” Crystal said. “When we moved back to Ruston a few years ago from Florida, it was definitely a homecoming.”
“I look forward to connecting — and reconnecting — with the wonderful people we serve here in a deeper way through this new opportunity,” Crystal said.
“Please let us know what we can do better, what we can do more of, what we can do less of, and what it is you’d like to see in your Ruston Daily Leader,” Crystal said. “Now, more than ever, a credible, local news source is a vital and indispensable tool for local businesses in a growing community like Ruston/Lincoln Parish.
“Thank you for your patronage — we need andvalue your support, your readership, your advertising and your input. We also value your ‘news about you’ and I ask you, personally, to engage us in the process of your life by submitting items of interest to us via email at newsroom@rustonleader.com or community@rustonleader.com.”
Crystal also thanked the wonderful, hardworking and dedicated staff for all they do.
“The people are what makes any organization great. We’re grateful that so many quality people have chosen to be part of our mission,” she said.
Crystal can be reached at The Ruston Daily Leader offices, 212 W Park Ave., in downtown Ruston or by calling 255-4353.
