Tim Holder, former Joplin Globe (Mo.) advertising director and a veteran of the newspaper business, has been named publisher of The Meridian Star.

    Holder, who has worked in newspaper 15 years, will assume his new role Monday.

    The Star’s parent company, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., of Montgomery, Ala., announced Holder’s appointment Monday.

    “Meridian is a great market. It is an opportunity for us as a media company to grow readership and grow our business,” Holder said. “My goal at this point is to make a great newspaper greater, to provide more community news and to become even more relevant to our readers and advertisers.”

    The Star’s future is in community journalism and Holder is looking forward to meeting Star readers and becoming involved in the local business community.

    “I hope to bring a sharp local focus, strategic outlook and marketing experience that we need to be successful and build on the momentum that we have already created in our print, online editions and our magazine,” Holder said.

    Holder replaces Crystal Dupre’, who, after more than six years at the helm of The Star, has assumed duties as publisher of The Eagle in Bryan/College, Station, Texas.

    Holder has experience in all facets of the newspaper industry. A native of Vicksburg, a graduate of St. Aloysius High School and Ole Miss, Holder began his career in newspapers at The Clarion-Ledger in 1995, moving up in the Gannett company, first in Montgomery, Ala., as a manager and then in Lafayette, La., as a classified manager.

    Holder left Gannett to work with The Paxton Media Group, first as advertising director for The Times-Georgian in Carrollton, Ga., followed by a brief stint in Selma, Ala.

    He began his current tenure with Community Newspapers Holdings Inc. at The Joplin Globe, where he worked six years.

    “This is a great opportunity to come here and work with great professionals. A lot of great things are happening here in Meridian,” Holder said of his new post at The Star.

    He added that the return to his home state also has other advantages.

    “I’m from Vicksburg, my wife is from Alabama. So not only career-wise, but also personally this puts us right here with family,” he said.

    Newspapers run in Holder’s family. His grandfather worked with The Vicksburg Evening Post for 25 years.

    Holder and his wife, Emily, have a son, William, 6 1/2.