ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The St. Paul Pioneer Press has named Mike Burbach as its new top editor.

Burbach has been opinion editor at the Pioneer Press since 2006. He succeeds Thomas Fladung, who left earlier this year to become managing editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

Burbach graduated in 1982 from the University of North Dakota, where he was editor of the student paper. He has been the editor at newspapers in Minot, N.D., and Columbus, Ga., and managing editor of papers in Aberdeen, S.D., and Akron, Ohio.

In a news release, Burbach says St. Paul is “a great place to be in the news business.”

He starts his new leadership role next week.

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