Vancouver paper lays off business editor Oliver

Gordon Oliver, the business editor of The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver, Washington, was laid off from the newspaper.

He was the only editor laid off in a move that is cutting 10 percent of expenses at the paper.

Oliver has been at the paper for five-and-a-half years, starting as a business reporter and working as the business editor for four years.

The business staff has been diminished to just one reporter, Brooks Johnson, and the position of business editor has been eliminated in what is called a “restructuring.” Johnson will continue to cover business but as a member of the metro staff.

Oliver is a Portland native and worked at The Oregonian for 26 years before taking a voluntary buyout in 2009. As a reporter, he worked many beats: neighborhood news, City Hall, social services, transportation and land use, commercial and residential development.

He spent his last seven years there as an editor — first as an assistant metro editor and then as assistant business editor.

For the past four years, Oliver has served as a writing coach for a university-run program for MBA students and expects to work in a second program at another university this fall.

“I hope to do more work assisting students and young writers leading up to retirement,” said Oliver.