Reuters names new company/industry reporters

Tiffany Wu, Americas managing editor for news at Reuters, sent out the following announcement:

We’d like to catch you up on some recent beat changes in the U.S. companies reporting teams.

Tracy Rucinski in Chicago will begin to cover airlines from July 1 and help to coordinate aviation coverage in the Americas, working as part of the global aerospace team. Tracy spent most of her 17-year journalism career reporting on business and politics for Reuters in Madrid, including the crushing years of economic recession when Spain was flirting with default and threatening to bring down the euro. In 2015, Tracy joined the U.S. legal team and has specialized in covering complex corporate restructurings in industries ranging from health and finance to retail and energy.

Alana Wise in New York has moved over to the consumer/retail team to cover restaurants, including Starbucks Corp, McDonald’s Corp and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. Prior to that, Alana covered airlines and broke news on President Trump’s airline security directives, as well as produced stand back stories on turbulence in the travel industry. Alana joined Reuters in 2015 as an intern on the U.S. election team, reporting on the tumultuous primary and general election campaigns, and the attacks and counter attacks of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles is now reporting stories on logistics and delivery, including FedEx Corp, United Parcel Service Inc and the many logistics challenges faced by U.S. grocery retailers including Kroger Co. Prior to that, Lisa covered restaurants, including Starbucks’ swoon after the U.S. housing bust, the activist board takeover of Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants Inc and Chipotle’s business-crushing E. coli barf fest. Lisa is looking forward to shedding the inescapable “fast-food $15” that comes from talking about burgers, fries and tacos full time.

Eric Johnson in Seattle is reporting on Boeing Co and the U.S. commercial aerospace industry, including an emphasis on the new space race. Eric previously covered the truckers and railroads that move America’s freight, with a focus on arch rivals UPS and FedEx. He wrote about shippers grappling with margin-crushing freight costs, truck orders and charging infrastructure for Tesla Inc’s forthcoming all-electric Semi, federal scrutiny over the growing length of freight trains following a series of fiery derailments, CSX Corp’s dramatic rail operations overhaul, the chronic truck driver (pay) shortage and sector consolidation.

Alwyn Scott in New York will expand his coverage of General Electric Co and manufacturing technology. Al’s stories have revealed how GE stumbled in its bid to become a major player in industrial software, and how advances in solar and wind electricity systems undermined GE’s core power plant business. Al will continue to contribute to aviation coverage, looking at topics such as the technology behind the global overhaul of the air traffic control system and the growing use of drones in industry.

Richa Naidu in Chicago is reporting on packaged food companies such as Kraft Heinz Co, Campbell Soup Co, General Mills Inc and Kellogg Co, as well as consumer products companies including Procter & Gamble Co, Colgate-Palmolive Co and Avon Products Inc. She will approach these companies through a global lens and work closely with colleagues in Europe and Asia. Richa previously covered Target Inc and department stores including Macy’s Inc and Nordstrom Inc.

Melissa Fares in New York joined the consumer/retail team earlier this year and has penned stories on apparel companies, luxury brands and department stores. Melissa recently co-authored a Special Report on untreated mental health illnesses ranging from depression to schizophrenia among those in Louisiana’s jails. Melissa was previously multimedia producer and reporter for North America, after a stint on the social media team.

We’ll make announcements soon on other open jobs.