Denver Post biz columnist leaving paper's employment

Denver Post business columnist Al Lewis is leaving the paper to become a columnist for Dow Jones Newswires, and the paper is apparently negotiating with the wire service to have exclusive rights to his column in the Denver market.

The Denver Business Journal reports, “Lewis resigned from the Post on Tuesday to take a job as national business columnist, a job created for him by Dow Jones Newswires, according to a staff memo distributed Wednesday by Denver Post Business Editor Steve McMillan. Lewis’ last day with the Denver paper is July 1.

“Dow Jones Newswires is expected to announce Lewis’ hiring later today.

“The Denver Post already is working with Dow Jones to acquire exclusive rights to run Lewis’ new column in this market, according to McMillan.

“McMillan described Lewis as ‘the best in the country at what he does.'”

Read more here. Lewis has won the SABEW Best in Business Award for column writing the past two years.

UPDATE: Here is McMillan’s e-mail, as provided by McMillan: “I regret having to tell you that yesterday Al Lewis, our full-time business columnist for the past five years, tendered his resignation. Dow Jones Newswires has created a new business columnist job, and filled it with a guy who in my opinion is the best in the country at what he does — Al.

“The good news is that we’re working with Dow Jones to make sure we get exclusive rights to Al’s column. Al is a back-to-back winner as SABEW’s best business columnist, he’s a tireless worker, spinning out columns, blogs, TV and radio spots. He also served as business editor here at The Post for close to three years. I know he’s been gunning for a broader national audience and now he’ll have it. I want to extend my congratulations to Al. For now, his plans are to use Denver as his writing base. His last day here at The Post is July 1st.”