TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Todd H. Carpenter, 44, former publisher of The Natchez Democrat, has been named chief executive officer of Boone Newspapers Inc., parent company of the newspaper. He will continue to live in and work from Natchez.

Carpenter continues as president and a director of the company, having led the company as its chief operating officer for 10 years. He succeeds James B. Boone Jr. who will continue full-time as chairman of the board of directors.

Carpenter is a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and a graduate of the University of Alabama’s College of Commerce and Business Administration. His newspaper career began in 1983 at The Tuscaloosa News.

He joined the BNI organization in 1993 where he worked as regional circulation manager and general manager in Andalusia, Ala. Later, he was publisher of The Greenville Advocate and associated weekly newspapers in Greenville, Ala. He became president of Natchez Newspapers Inc. and publisher of The Natchez Democrat 1998 and continued in that role until 2006.

“I am blessed to be able to work with hundreds of BNI people who are like family to me in dozens of communities that are likes homes away from home,” Carpenter said. “The future of the community media business, built on foundations of good journalism, is bright, and there are excellent opportunities ahead for those we work with and the communities we serve. My family and I are especially pleased I can accept this responsibility and continue to live in and work from Natchez. This community and our many friends here have been good to us, and it is home to our family.”

Carpenter owns Carpenter Newsmedia, LLC, a community media company similar to BNI that publishes 14 newspapers, numerous digital media products and community magazines. Those operations are managed by BNI.

Combined, BNI and CNL own and BNI manages newspapers, digital media and magazines in 59 communities in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

“Todd Carpenter stands tall among media executives in the large family-owned media companies that operate in small to medium communities,” Boone said. “He would excel in any venue, is respected by those in our business, is a proven a civic leader and good citizen. Todd is superbly equipped to fulfill his new role, has mastered what that takes and will facilitate tremendous company and personal growth as we go forward in carefully measured plans. The Boone and Carpenter families have been close in business and personally going into a third generation, and we have prospered together, looked out for one another in wonderful times that have included some times that strengthened mutual respect of the character, ethics and loyalty of all. Such relationships are rare, and both our families are delighted and blessed to see us working together for the future of Boone Newspapers and Carpenter Newsmedia.”

Carpenter and his wife, Emily, have three children, Mary Kathryn, 19, a student at the University of Alabama; Jackson, 16 and Henry, 14 who both attend Cathedral School. The Carpenters are members of Jefferson Street United Methodist Church.