Hoy Promotes Editorial & Management Execs For Chicago Edition.

Louis Sito, publisher of Hoy and Tribune Publishing Vice President/Hispanic media announced that Digby Solomon Diez has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Hoy’s new Chicago edition and Alejandro Escalona has been named editor in chief of the publication. Solomon and Escalona currently manage ¡Exito!, a Spanish-language weekly newspaper in Chicago, that will be replaced in early September by Hoy.

“Digby and Alejandro have shown tremendous leadership of ¡Exito! and have provided timely news and information to Chicago’s Hispanic consumers and unique advertising solutions to marketers,” said Sito. “We are fortunate to have their editorial and management expertise at the helm of Hoy’s Chicago edition.”

Solomon is a native of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, and has a broad background in the media including newspapers, television, radio and the Internet. He joined Tribune Publishing in 1990, and since then held several editorial and management positions at various Tribune newspapers. Most recently, he was appointed general manager of ¡Exito! in September 2002. Prior to that he was general manager of Interactive at the Chicago Tribune, beginning in November 1999. Before joining Tribune in 1990, he was assistant news director at WVIR-TV in Charlottesville, Va. He also worked as a Caribbean editor and foreign correspondent for UPI.

Solomon holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from George Washington University.

“We look forward to launching Hoy’s Chicago addition and building on the reputation ¡Exito! has established with readers,” said Solomon. “Through solid journalism, Hoy will play a significant role in the community and connect advertisers with Chicago’s sought-after Hispanic consumer.”

Alejandro Escalona has been the editor of ¡Exito! since 1997, and prior to that served as managing editor of the publication from 1993. Before that he was the editor of Chicago Catolico, the Spanish language newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, for three years. During his tenure at Chicago Catolico, Escalona won several awards from the Catholic Press Association including best reporting, best feature story and best editorial.

His articles and interviews have also been published in Reforma, a leading Mexican daily, and in the Chicago Tribune. Among other leading Latin Americans, Escalona has interviewed Cuban President Fidel Castro, Mexican President Vicente Fox, former Mexican Foreign Minister, Jorge G. Castaneda, former Chilean President Patricio Alwyn and Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchu.

Escalona is a native of Mexico, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature from Northeastern Illinois University.

“I look forward to the transition from a weekly to a daily newspaper,” said Escalona. “Hoy will bring valuable news and information to Chicago’s 1.6 million Hispanics by focusing top news from Chicago, the nation and the world on issues most relevant to the community-be it politics, immigration, education, housing, health and more.”