OCTOBER 9, 2003

Roland Klose has joined Illinois Times as editor-in- chief.

Klose, an Illinois native, is a veteran journalist whose career includes reporting and editing assignments at The Commercial Appeal of Memphis and The Tampa Tribune. Klose worked for the weekly Riverfront Times from mid-1999 until last month.

Outgoing Illinois Times editor Patrick Arden left the newspaper to pursue other opportunities.

“Illinois Times has a long history of independent and innovative service to the Springfield area. Over the last year Pat Arden left his mark and gave readers something to look forward to each week,” Klose said. “My plan is to build on the solid foundation each of my predecessors has put in place.”

Illinois Times, which recently celebrated its 28th publishing year, is owned by Fletcher F. Farrar Jr., who was editor and publisher for more than 20 years. Sharon Whalen, general manager of Illinois Times in the ’80s, is associate publisher and serves as the newspaper’s CEO. Illinois Times has an audited circulation of 30,000 each Thursday and is available free at nearly 400 newsstands throughout central Illinois.

Klose was born in Berwyn, a suburb of Chicago, in 1958. He’s a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis.

Klose and his wife, Maureen, have two adult sons.

He can be reached at (217) 753-2226, extension 140, or rklose@illinoistimes.com