Washington Post biz editor joining Richmond bureau

Washington Post local editor Mike Semel and deputy local editor Monica Norton sent out the following announcement on Friday:

We are thrilled to announce that Business Editor Greg Schneider will be joining our Richmond Bureau as a reporter and writer covering politics and government.

Richmond has long been a dream job for Greg, and the timing was finally right, with his youngest son finishing high school and daughter finishing middle school. It’s also a homecoming of sorts — he was bureau chief there for the Virginian-Pilot in the mid-1990s.

Over the course of a distinguished career as a reporter and editor for the Virginian-Pilot, the LA Times, the Baltimore Sun and The Post, Greg has demonstrated impeccable judgment, a love of the written word, an eye for the unusual and a dedication to news.

Greg came to The Post in January 2000 to cover the defense industry. He also covered airline security and the auto industry, until 2005, when Sandy Sugawara recruited him to become an editor and run the technology team. After that, he joined the National staff in 2006 to become national security editor, re-joined Financial in 2007 as Sandy’s deputy and succeeded her as head of the department in early 2009.

It was a wild time, as Greg did an impeccable job leading our coverage of the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression and his department’s transition to digital.

His tenure as deputy and AME saw lots of Loeb finalists (and several winners); a Pulitzer finalist and a win for Steven Pearlstein. His staff also made crucial contributions to coverage of the NSA that won the Pulitzer for public service. His business department routinely produces first-rate enterprise and accountability reporting.

He’s extremely proud of the business team that’s in place now, and excited to return to his first love — writing.

We are excited to have him join Laura Vozzella in what we’re sure will be a great capital bureau. Please join us in wishing Greg well as he starts his next chapter.