SENECA — Michael Leonard, a veteran media professional with ample experience in the editorial and business side of operating a newsroom, stepped into his new role as publisher of the Daily Journal/Messenger this week.

Leonard is no stranger to the Upstate, having covered the area as senior writer for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and as an on-the-air reporter for WSPA-TV. He comes to Oconee County by way of Lake City, Fla., where he had been publisher of the Lake City Reporter community newspaper since 2003.

Edwards Group, owners of the Daily Journal/Messenger, hired Leonard to replace Joni Weerheim, who relocated to Arizona last month. Jerry Edwards, president of Edwards Group, describes Leonard as “someone who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help take our daily newspapers and all of our products to a new level.”

Leonard said he welcomes the opportunity to live and work in the Golden Corner.

“I’m very excited to be here,” Leonard said. “I chose to come to this part of the country, chose to relocate to Seneca and Clemson because we are convinced that this area has a great deal of potential. This is a dynamic area both from an economic standpoint and as a terrific quality-of-life place to live.”

Leonard is married with four children — a son and daughter who attend Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina and two younger sons who will transition into high school locally.

In coming to the Daily Journal/Messenger, Leonard takes control of the newspapers with a combined readership of more than 30,000 per day. Also, he’ll oversee the newspapers’ online version, www.upstatetoday.com, which draws more than 179,000 visitors per month.

Leonard sees himself coming into a solid market with a product that continues to grow in readership and advertising dollars despite a sagging economy in may parts of the nation and South Carolina.

“Our business is extremely healthy,” Leonard said. “This is a very strong newspaper from a readership standpoint, a financial standpoint and from a content standpoint.”

Leonard said the bad news circulating about the demise of newspapers because of stagnant or declining circulation mostly pertains to metro markets and larger cities “where they have lost their way.”

However, in markets like Oconee and Pickens counties, Leonard said the Daily Journal/Messenger has kept its bearings on community news.

“We have not forgotten that our roots and our strength are the people,” Leonard said. “Local news, local advertising, local connections, community involvement, these are all the things that make our newspapers strong.”

Leonard’s credentials include holding leadership positions at the Richmond County Daily Journal in Rockingham, N.C.; the Anson Record in Wadesboro, N.C.; and the Marion Starr & Mullins Enterprise in South Carolina.

A graduate with a major in journalism from the University of Georgia, Leonard also has been editor and publisher with Community Newspapers Inc. based in Athens, Ga.

Leonard sees his role as publisher as one of setting the tone for the organization. He intends to keep an open-door policy, not just for all employees, but every reader or customer who wants to drop by with an idea or comment on how to improve the newspaper and the services it offers.

“As a publisher, it’s my practice to be very involved in the community,” Leonard said. “I intend to offer myself as an executive who will roll up his sleeves and pitch in with those things that are good.

“I believe the newspaper has a leadership role and as publisher of the paper I am the figurehead of that,” Leonard added. “I think it’s incumbent upon me to lead the newspaper in what we do and how we support our community.”