Jeffrey Johnson Fills Times Post

Tribune Co. executive Jeffrey Johnson has been named senior vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles Times, effective immediately. He will be responsible for production, regional operations, distribution and technology and systems for The Times, reporting to Times’ Publisher and President John Puerner.

Johnson’s appointment to the newly created position is the latest in a series of management changes at The Times since its parent, Times Mirror Co., agreed to be acquired by Chicago-based Tribune for about $6.8 billion. The merger is expected to be final by midsummer.

“Jeff is an exceptional newspaper executive and one of the best operations professionals in our business,” Puerner said. “He will have primary responsibility for many elements of our circulation strategy, including manufacturing, circulation sales, distribution and customer service. Additionally, in this position, he will be responsible for coordinating our planning for new technology.”

A 16-year Tribune veteran, Johnson, 40, has held a variety of positions in the company’s publishing and education operations. He most recently served as president and chief executive of Landoll Inc., a publisher of educational materials and books for consumers. Before that, he was vice president and director of operations at the Orlando Sentinel and served in various positions at the Chicago Tribune.

* Kit Rachlis, a senior projects editor at The Times, will take over as editor in chief of Los Angeles Magazine on June 19. Rachlis, 48, was editor of the newspaper’s “Literary Team,” a group of six writers who produce magazine-style pieces for the paper’s front page.

He is a former editor in chief of the L.A. Weekly and executive editor of the Village Voice. In addition, he has served as senior editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine and arts editor of the Boston Phoenix.