Wendy Fullerton Powell
Please join your fellow press club members in warmly welcoming Wendy Fullerton Powell, our newest club member.
Having spent more than 32 years as a journalist in Southwest Florida, Wendy was recently appointed Executive Editor of the Naples Daily News and Deputy Regional Editor for the USA TODAY Network—Florida, Southwest Region, which includes Lakeland, Fort Myers, and Naples.
She has spent most of her career with The News-Press, first as a reporter, then editor. Since Gannett bought the Naples Daily News, she has helped lead both newsrooms, engaging with readers daily and working with reporters and editors to focus on stories that matter to the community.
According to an article about Wendy that was published recently in the Naples Daily News:
- She began her career as a reporter in Bonita Springs when it had only one stoplight along U.S. 41.
- She also covered the city of Naples, as well as Collier County.
- Rising through the ranks, she worked as a business editor, deputy metro editor and assistant managing editor for targeted content before becoming a news director in Fort Myers.
- Last year, she served as interim Florida regional editor, providing guidance on larger statewide stories, most notably the tragic collapse of the Surfside beachfront condominium near Miami Beach that killed nearly 100 residents and visitors.
A graduate of the University of Vermont, Wendy moved to Southwest Florida for the warmer climate and fell in love with the area.
“Southwest Florida is my home. I’ve raised my family here,” she told the Naples Daily News. “This team of journalists is also like family to me. And together, we will continue to serve as watchdogs of our community and be your trusted source of news and information.”
A big thank you to board member Laura Greanias for encouraging Wendy to join the club. Wendy, we look forward to your continued valuable involvement helping the press club fulfill its multi-faceted mission.
Wendy recently served on the press club’s panel of experts at the luncheon meeting April 28 honoring World Press Freedom Day. You can view a video of the event on YouTube by clicking here.