Former WSJ, NY Times executive Story hired as Atlas Obscura CEO

Atlas Obscura has named Louise Story as its new chief executive officer, bringing on the former Wall Street Journal and New York Times executive to shepherd the travel brand through its next phase of product and community expansion, reports Mark Stenberg of Adweek.

Stemberg reports, “Story, who starts April 9, replaces Warren Webster, who left the company in October.

“‘I have been fairly obsessed for the last 15 years with the nexus of content and community, which I think is the future for all content companies,’ said Story. ‘Atlas Obscura has always been focused on both. It’s a place where people can discover wonder and joy, and I’m excited to help more people find amazing things to do in their daily lives and while on vacation.’

“The company is also appointing Sam Wick, most recently head of venture investments at United Talent Agency, to its board of directors. Wick fills a seat previously held by a representative from the crowdsourcing platform OurCrowd, and his appointment is part of a broader effort to round out the board with more strategic leadership.”

Read more here.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.