In February, environmental and development reporter Mary Lynne Vellinga left the Sacramento Bee newsroom to take a job working for a California state senator as a spokesperson and legislative consultant.
Next month, Vellinga will return to the newsroom as the paper’s new business editor. She replaces Wayne Davis, who left earlier in June for a job in state government.
She becomes the paper’s third business editor in the past 15 months. Former business editor Cathie Anderson is now the paper’s features editor.
“I’m thrilled to be coming back to The Bee as business editor,” Vellinga said of her new role. “In these uncertain and difficult times, I believe more than ever that our society needs newspapers to look out for the public good, explain important issues, expose wrongdoing and make people smile. Newspapers may evolve over time from print to online, but I don’t think they’re going away. The Bee is filled with hard-working people dedicated to their profession, and I’m honored to rejoin them. We’re going to have a great time.â€
A graduate of Calvin College and Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Vellinga began her journalism career in Marion, Ind., where she covered labor, workplace and economic development issues. She worked at newspapers in New York and Massachusetts before joining The Bee. Earlier this year, she won a Sierra Club award and a Best of the West award for her outstanding reporting on growth issues.
She will oversee a 10-person department that covers regional and statewide business issues.
