COVINGTON, Ga. — Madison Graham Allen has been named the publisher for The Covington News, Owner Patrick Graham has announced.

“Madison did a tremendous job during her time in sales at The Walton Tribune,” Graham said. “That skill set — combined with her experience in and around the newspaper business for many years — makes her the perfect candidate to lead The Covington News as its publisher.”

Allen, the oldest daughter of Graham, served in retail advertising sales at Graham’s Monroe newspaper for more than two years, spending time as both an advertising sales consultant and the paper’s advertising director. She has been a part of the newspaper industry since graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in December 2016.

Allen grew up in Walton County and has been in and around the newspaper industry her entire life, following her father’s 28-year career in the field of journalism.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about this tremendous opportunity,” Allen said. “We have a terrific staff in place here at The Covington News, and I look forward to working with them to provide the kind of quality, community-minded newspaper that our readers and advertisers want and deserve.”

Allen succeeds Jackie Gutknecht as the newspaper’s publisher. Gutknecht recently left the paper to accept a position with Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford.

The Covington News is one of five newspapers Graham owns. Graham also owns The Walton Tribune in Monroe, Jackson County Sentinel in Scottsboro, Alabama; The Sand Mountain Reporter in Albertville, Alabama; and The Times-Journal in Fort Payne, Alabama.

Graham had previously been on staff with the newspapers in Monroe, Albertville and Fort Payne. 

“My first job as publisher for a newspaper was when I went to Monroe back in 2003,” Graham said. “My hope is that Madison’s first experience as publisher in this area will be just as rewarding as mine was.”