From The Boyertown Area Times
 

Berks-Mont Newspapers publisher James C. Webb announced Oct. 8 the details of a restructuring of the newspaper’s editorial department.

Company general manager Jim Davidheiser was named managing editor of both The Boyertown Area Times and The Southern Berks News, while Diane Van Dyke was named editor of The Southern Berks News.

Webb commented, "This is one more step in the direction of improving our editorial products for our readers. With our audience slowly changing and widening, we are acutely aware of the need for well-written, comprehensive newspapers. And we are dedicated to providing first-class publications for our communities."

Davidheiser’s roots with Berks-Mont Newspapers date back to 1972, and he has held various positions with the company, including sports editor, associate editor, commercial sales manager, assistant to the publisher and advertising director. He was named general manager in 1991, and he will continue in that capacity in addition to the "managing editor" role.

Van Dyke was formerly the associate editor of The Southern Berks News, and she joined the Berks-Mont Newspapers staff in October 2001. Prior to her staff affiliation, she was a free-lance writer/correspondent with Berks-Mont since January, 1999.

Born and raised in New Hanover Township, Van Dyke graduated from Boyertown Area High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Ursinus College, Collegeville. She also has a paralegal certificate from Main Line Paralegal Institute. She was employed as a paralegal for a Norristown law firm for 11 years before writing for Berks-Mont. Van Dyke is a former member of the Boyertown Jaycees.

Both Davidheiser and Van Dyke can be reached at either 610-367-6041 or 610-689-9558. Davidheiser’s e-mail address is: jhd@berksmontnews.com; Van Dyke’s is dvandyke@berksmontnews.com.

In addition to The Boyertown Area Times and The News of Southern Berks, Berks-Mont Newspapers also publishes these weekly newspapers: The Hamburg Area Item, The Kutztown Area Patriot, The Free Press (Quakertown area) and The Saucon News. Plus, the company publishes the Berks-Mont Saver, a quarterly advertising-only piece, and Destinations, a new tourist/visitors’ magazine which coincides with the opening of the Cabela’s store/complex near Hamburg (northern Berks County).