Hogg named General Manager, McDonald promoted to Editor, Everett joins ad team at Advance-Monticellonian

The Advance-Monticellonian in Monticello has announced recent role changes and staff additions.

Ashley Hogg, who previously served as managing editor, has been named as the newspaper’s general manager and has also taken over advertising director duties following the retirement of former advertising manager Vicki Kelly earlier this summer.

Hogg had been in the managing editor position since February 2022, after having worked as a reporter, in advertising sales and in the bookkeeping department. She also currently serves as the managing editor for The Eagle Democrat in Warren.

Jeff McDonald has been promoted to the newspaper’s editor. McDonald joined the Advance-Monticellonian in March of this year and, according to Hogg, has taken responsibility for almost every aspect of editorial content for the newspaper since.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the excellent job Jeff has been doing for the

Advance,” said Hogg in the newspaper announcement of the promotions. “He is worthy of this promotion and I am excited about the opportunities ahead of this team.”

“I’m very honored to be in this position,” McDonald said. “We have a great team here, and I’m looking forward to the future of the Advance-Monticellonian.”

Sierra Everett has joined the newspaper’s advertising department. Everett, who has lived in Drew County since early childhood and has retail sales and management experience, is a graduate of Drew Central High School and holds an associates degree from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

“I have loved working with the entire team at the Advance-Monticellonian thus far,” said Everett. “They have all provided me with so much insight and guidance throughout this learning experience and I could not be more appreciative.

“Sierra brings fresh ideas and a sense of excitement not only to the advertising department, but to the entire office,” said Hogg. “She is a great asset. The future of the Advance is very bright with the staff we have in place.”

Smith, former sports editor at Morning News, dies at 63

Brian Lee Smith died July 2, 2023, at his home in Van Buren. He was 63.

Smith was born in Memphis and raised in Leachville. A 1978 graduate of Leachville High School, Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He worked several years as a sportswriter and was later the sports editor for the Northwest Arkansas Morning News in Springdale before returning to Leachville to work with his family as a licensed funeral director.

He then worked as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Manila and returned to northwest Arkansas with a job with the Postal Distribution Center in Fort Smith, where he met his wife, Somer Jones

Survivors include his wife; his son, Andy Smith (Katie) of Little Rock; his stepchildren, Ethan McPeek of Liberty, Oklahoma, and Hannah Arter and Shayla Arter, both of Van Buren; his parents, Earl and Martha Jo Smith of Leachville and his brother, Greg Smith (Melinda) of Jonesboro. Funeral services were held July 6 in Leachville.