Longtime Greeley Tribune staffer René Hardwick recently joined the National Onion Association as its director of public and industry relations, replacing Kim Reddin.
Reddin had served in the position for 13 years prior to moving to Colorado Corn in February. Hardwick, who brings her journalism experience from the Tribune, was with the local newspaper for 23 years.
NOA President Doug Stanley announced René’s arrival earlier this month, noting, “We look forward to working hard and diligently together to move the association forward into new times and to face new challenges.”
Working in a number of capacities at the Tribune, René most recently edited the company’s “niche publications sector,” planning, assigning and editing content for three magazines as well as other special publications. She was also the newspaper’s business editor and business and energy reporter, and she was a newsroom editor.
René brings additional experience as media relations coordinator at Aims Community College in Greeley. She is pursuing her master’s degree in communications management at the University of Denver and expects to graduate in 2019. René has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Acknowledging her predecessor’s legacy, René said in a press release, “I know I have some big shoes to fill. I look forward to continuing [Kim’s] efforts and adding a few new layers of social media to put NOA’s story further out into cyberspace while remembering how we got here.”
NOA Executive Vice President Wayne Mininger welcomed René in the release.
“Her extensive experience in journalism and managing communications, coupled with her business and multi-platform media savvy, are expected to fit right into the association’s public and industry relations goals and needs,” he said.
Doug added, “As we get ready to go through some transition within the association, with the size and structure and scope of what we do, it’s exciting to have René on board as a part of that change.”
You can contact René at rhardwick@onions-usa.org or call (970) 353-5895.
