Paul Floeckher has been named assistant editor of the Bryan County News and bryancountynews.com.

Floeckher, 45, has 23 years of journalism experience, most recently at the Effingham Herald, the News’ sister paper. He started in his new position at the News on May 11.

“Having lived and worked in nearby communities, I am familiar with the growth Bryan County has experienced and the opportunities that are available here,” he said. “I have many more people to meet, but in just one week I have been greatly impressed by the friendliness, hospitality and professionalism of the people here.”

At the Herald, Floeckher wrote and photographed news, feature and sports stories in Effingham County. He copy-edited each edition of the newspaper and its special publications. He also shot and edited video for effinghamherald.net and managed the website and social media.

He also has worked in public relations, both at his alma mater, Georgia Southern University, and for the city of Hardeeville, South Carolina. He was the South Carolina Lowcountry Bureau chief for WSAV-TV, where he videotaped and packaged daily news stories for a four-county area, reported live from the field and served as fill-in anchor.

“Paul brings a variety of skills and wealth of experience to the Bryan County News,” managing editor Jason Wermers said. “We are excited to have him here, and I know he will do an excellent job of keeping readers informed both online and in print about what is happening in Bryan County.”

Floeckher, a native of Chicago, has a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Georgia Southern. He moved to LaGrange in western Georgia when he was 10 and has lived mostly in the Peach State ever since. After graduating from Georgia Southern, other than his first jobs at The Signal newspaper on Fort Gordon and the Columbia County News-Times, Floeckher has lived either in southeast Georgia or Bluffton, South Carolina.

Despite his long residency in the South, Floeckher remains a faithful fan of Chicago pro sports teams, though he also does cheer for Duke University, his sister's alma mater. Floeckher said he hopes to get involved in the community as he has in other places where he has worked. He has volunteered with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics.

“We are really glad to have Paul join our news team,” regional publisher Mark Griffin said. “He brings some great local-news coverage experience and has a track record of strong community involvement. Paul is committed to providing our print and online readers valuable news about our community in Bryan County.”

The Bryan County News is owned by Savannah-based Morris Newspaper Corporation, a privately owned media company with properties in nine states in the U.S. and the Caribbean.