Remember Mark Willes?

He was the Times Mirror CEO, formerly of General Mills, who put Newsday’s New York City operation down.  That and other unpopular acts earned him the nickname “the Cereal Killer.” 

E&P reports that Willes — who was, sort of like Sam Zell, long on business experience but short on journalism — has now got another job in the news business. Go figger. (This one may have more to do with Willes’ status as a prominent Mormon than as a journalist, but journalism credentials don’t really stack up against most others, now, do they?) 

Willes addressing Courant folks in 1996. Stephen Dunn / Hartford Courant photo.

Anyway, my thanks to him for helping sell Times Mirror to Tribune — the only corporate transaction that ever produced a profit for me and a few other Courant grunts. Also, the fact that Tribune still owes him $11.4 million from that deal makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.