Rod Hicks named STL American executive editor

Rod Hicks, a longtime journalist and unwavering advocate for diverse newsrooms, inclusive news coverage and high ethical standards, has been selected to lead the St. Louis American as its top editor.

Dr. Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of the 97-year-old news outlet, relinquished the latter title and named Hicks to the position. Hicks will assume the role of executive editor on Monday, July 14.

“I’ve always respected the role the Black press has played throughout the history of African Americans. That role is just as vital today, if not more.”

Rod Hicks

A newsroom leader with four decades of journalism experience, Hicks will oversee the editorial direction of The American with a focus on elevating its digital presence, strengthening its connection with its audience and raising the overall quality of its journalism.

“Rod’s vision and professional trajectory align with our mission to inform, uplift, and reflect the lives of our readers — especially in historically underserved communities,” Suggs said in an email to the staff on Tuesday. “He will lead our newsroom with an eye toward innovation, collaboration, and storytelling that resonates in both our print and growing digital spaces.”

Suggs said Hicks joins the news outlet at a pivotal time “as we work to build on our legacy and reimagine The St. Louis American as a digital-first newsroom, expanding our reach and impact across platforms while continuing to proudly serve our community with integrity, insight, and relevance.”

Hicks acknowledged the challenges he and newsroom leaders nationwide face as the media landscape continues to shift — less advertising revenue, shrinking audiences and a surge of false or misleading online content masquerading as news — all at a time when public trust in professional journalism already is fragile. These issues are even greater for ethnic media, which have shown resilience while continuing to serve their communities, Hicks said.

“I’ve always respected the role the Black press has played throughout the history of African Americans,” said Hicks, a Birmingham, Alabama, native. “That role is just as vital today, if not more. I’m honored that Dr. Suggs has entrusted me with carrying on the editorial legacy of The American.” 

Hicks’ appointment marks a return to both local journalism and the St. Louis media market. He managed the St. Louis Post-Dispatch news operation in the evenings for 2½ years, including in 2008 when a gunman killed six people during a Kirkwood City Council meeting. The coverage was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting.

Most recently, Hicks served as director of ethics and diversity at the Society of Professional Journalists, where he helped shape national conversations on professional integrity and newsroom inclusivity. He also helped journalists across the country navigate ethical challenges, drawing on the SPJ Code of Ethics and his extensive newsroom experience.

“SPJ was deeply fortunate to have Rod Hicks on its team for the past seven years,” said Caroline Hendrie, executive director of SPJ. “Rod juggled a varied portfolio of responsibilities — parsing thorny ethical dilemmas, writing and editing articles, managing training programs and much more — with great care and good humor. The St. Louis American couldn’t have a more thoughtful professional at the helm.”

Before joining SPJ, Hicks spent nearly a decade as an editor at The Associated Press in Philadelphia, then a regional hub covering 10 northeastern states. The position allowed him to work on major national and international stories, including the Boston Marathon bombing, the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting and the Bill Cosby sexual assault trials. 

Amanda Barrett was a deputy regional editor at AP when she hired Hicks. She came to admire how he approached his work and the rapport he built with reporters. He’s thoughtful and cool under pressure, she said, and adept at helping reporters find the angle or voice they were missing. She and Hicks stayed in touch after he left AP.

“Rod has proven to be a staunch defender of the craft of journalism,” said Barrett, now AP’s vice president of standards. “He holds himself and others to high standards for strong work, ethics and integrity. I am excited to see how he leads the St. Louis American and its team into the future.”

Hicks held newsroom leadership positions at The Detroit News; the Detroit Free Press; the Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and the Birmingham Post-Herald, where he began his editing career as night city editor after working as a reporter for several years. Hicks began his professional career in 1985 as a reporter at The Anniston Star in Alabama.

But he first saw his name atop a news story in a local newspaper when he was 13. At the request of a teacher at his elementary school, Hicks wrote a story about stolen school equipment that was published in The Birmingham World, a now-closed Black-owned weekly newspaper. After completing high school, he volunteered at The Birmingham Times, another Black-owned weekly, and later was an intern there.

Hicks is a longtime member and former board member of the National Association of Black Journalists and managed three of its popular national conventions, most recently in 2015 in Minneapolis. He holds a master’s degree in newspaper management from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Alabama.