Four on AP biz desk laid off

TALKING BIZ NEWS EXCLUSIVE

Four staffers in the Associated Press business news operations lost their jobs on Tuesday as part of the wire service’s layoffs.

Dan Lovering, a reporter in the AP’s Pittsburgh bureau who covered manufacturing in the aerospace, metals and machinery industries, confirmed to Talking Biz News that he was laid off. Lovering joined the AP in 2002 in the Bangkok bureau and moved to Pittsburgh in 2005.

“I’ve reported from 10 countries and covered a broad range of topics, from politics to public health crises to natural disasters,” says Lovering. “I’m available for freelance assignments and can be reached at daniellovering@mac.com.”

Donna Borak, who was also laid off,Â worked in the AP’s Washington office, where she covered the defense industry, government procurement and military programs. She was hired as part of a launch of a financial news unit in the D.C. office in October 2006.

“There was no other unit quite like ours in AP at the time so we had to design our own blueprint and Donna was willing and able to participate in that part of the task,” wrote former AP assistant business editor Beth Belton, who is now with Kiplinger’s, about Borak on LinkedIn. “In this fast-changing journalism business, I would recommend her as someone who is willing to work hard, learn quickly and produce what’s needed.”

Borak says she can be reached at donna.borak@gmail.com.

Mike Obel, a reporter on the financial desk in New York, also lost his job. Obel was a manufacturing writer who covered the lumber and paper industry, including International Paper and Weyerhauser. He attended the University of Missouri.

Alan Higbie, an editor in New York, was also laid off.

If know them andÂ can help any of these people find jobs, please contact them.

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View Comments

Bubby Cakes says:
November 19, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Let's not forget the dozens of great reporters and editors who've left AP's BIZ desk over the past couple of years due to the way the place is grossly mis-managed. When morale is at rock-bottom, the layoffs take care of themselves......