Dean Singleton, the face of the new ownership of the St. Paul Pioneer Press was in town today, meeting with various employees in addition to an afternoon general newsroom gathering, where we are told, he expressed great umbrage at the behavior of his former publisher, Par Ridder, who as most of you may know by now scurried across town a month ago to take the same job with the (formerly)arch-rival Star Tribune.
Most interesting was Singleton, head of Media News, telling the PiPress troops that he had learned of Ridder showing interest in moving to the Star Tribune eight months ago — last August — long before former publisher J. Keith Moyer stepped down. Who approached who is not clear. But if what Singleton says is true, Ridder was at leasy considering switching teams long before he actually did.
Singleton also told his employees that Ridder had offered a total of eight current upper level PiPress managers jobs at the Star Tribune, including St. Paul’s editor, Thom Fladung, who declined. Two offers have been accepted. The names of the other six are not known.
Newspaper Guild officer, Brian Bonner, described Singleton’s speech as, “feisty in tone” and that Singleton seemed, “genuinely upset by the betrayal [on Ridder’s part].”
“He said [Ridder] took confidential data and that he, [Singleton], is going to stop him from using it.” The “confidential data” business refers to a laptop computer with proprietary company information in it, which the PiPress had to insist Ridder return to them, apparently the Monday after he left. (One of the St. Paul executives involved in getting the laptop back, Kevin Desmond, later accepted a job offer from Ridder and left the PiPress).
Bonner, who called the gathering, “One of the most dramatic meetings I’ve seen in my 24 years here,” was pleased to hear Singleton show some passion over the Ridder departure. Many in the PiPress building regard Ridder jumping ship as both graceless and disloyal.
Singleton took pains to describe Ridder as “a good steward” of the PiPress and felt they had a solid, professional relationship, up to the point Ridder left.
For the record, Ridder did not have a non-compete clause in his contract, and Singleton has previously said he doesn’t believe in restricting the professional growth of his people. (He is however threatening legal action against Jennifer Parratt, Ridder’s other Star Tribune hire, who apparently did have a non-compete … Singleton wants to fight over.)
How Singleton would ever prove Ridder was using proprietary PiPress information to the Star Tribune’s advantage is hard to imagine. But Singleton apparently wanted to rally the troops with a little sabre-rattling.
“We still expect [Singleton] to be a very tough negotiator over the next contract,” said Bonner. “He has a reputation for extracting pretty tough concessions. But I for one was pleased that he came in and said what he did.”
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