BY ANA RISANO
Managing Editor
Alex Podlogar is soon to have a full-circle moment with The Pilot — the newspaper that gave him his first byline as a teenager — by becoming its next editor on Oct. 1.
He will replace John Nagy, who has served in that position since 2012. Nagy announced his intent to retire earlier this year and will transition into a part-time role as the paper’s opinion editor through December. Then, he will fully retire and shift those responsibilities to Podlogar.
Publisher David Woronoff said Podlogar “understands, appreciates and embraces The Pilot’s core purpose of serving our special community.
“You can expect him to continue John’s authentically local style of storytelling, which has propelled The Pilot to numerous national accolades,” Woronoff said.
Podlogar moved to the Sandhills as a teenager, graduating from Pinecrest High School in 1994. In his sophomore year, he worked for The Pilot as a stringer covering Pinecrest football.
“It’s a bit of a homecoming because this is the newspaper that gave me my first byline,” Podlogar said. “And then to have an opportunity to help craft and share the stories of this community and report the news — that’s really exciting for me to come back to it and come full circle, not only at The Pilot, but also for journalism.”
Podlogar graduated in 1998 from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he majored in journalism and mass communications. From there, he served as a sports editor at the Daily Courier in Forest City and then for the Sanford Herald. In 2010, he did a two-year stint as assistant sports information director for Fayetteville State University.
He then accepted a job with the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, where he spent the next 14 years as, first, a content social media manager, and then the senior media relations manager.
“In my job (with the resort), I’ve always tried to approach it from a journalism standpoint,” Podlogar said, noting he wrestled with the press relations side of mass communications. “When you need something from me, it’s going to be written or put together in a way that has journalistic integrity to it. And I think that’s what has helped me do well there.”
Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley emphasized Podlogar’s storytelling abilities and capacity to build meaningful connections with people through a foundation of “genuine respect and admiration.”
Pashley remembers when Podlogar first joined the team, saying, “It was great to have someone tell the amazing stories that happen at Pinehurst every day.” Pashley said he would call Podlogar any time he saw something potentially storyworthy — a hole-in-one, a new guest or a sweet family dynamic — and Podlogar would find the deeper story in the ordinary moment.
“When I heard that he was going to be making the transition,” Pashley said, “I was happy to see him stay in the community. I was happy he was going to be at a great place like The Pilot. I know he will have a great, long career there.”
Pashley said it’s also sad to see Podlogar go, saying he was able to take “the stories of Pinehurst to the next level.”
Podlogar is excited for his new role, ready to take part in what he called “meaningful work” in reporting on Moore County communities. Podlogar lives in Aberdeen with his wife, Becky, and their young beagle, Finley. They have one daughter, Allison, who is pursuing theater in New York.
“I love The Pilot,” Podlogar said. “I truly believe it’s the best newspaper in North Carolina. I don’t think there’s another staff that fully can cover and reflect its community better than what this staff can do. That’s what I’m most excited about — coming and joining and being part of this team.”
Podlogar says his early days in the position will consist of earning the trust of the newsroom and the broader community. He praised Nagy’s work over the years and says he looks forward to Nagy’s guidance as he takes over responsibilities.
“John has run this ship really, really well for a long time,” Podlogar said. “I’m glad he’s going to be around to help with this transition.”
Nagy is retiring after more than 40 years in journalism, spending the last 14 years with The Pilot.
“As excited as I am to welcome Alex to our family, that comes at a significant cost — saying goodbye to a trusted friend like John,” Woronoff said. “He’s earned his retirement many times over.”
“I’ve loved the challenge every day of meeting the awesome responsibility of telling a community’s story truthfully and respectfully,” Nagy said. “I’ve appreciated the trust and faith David bestowed on me to lead The Pilot’s talented team of journalists. Any success I’ve enjoyed has only come through their support and perseverance.”
Nagy said Podlogar is the right fit as the next editor, identifying his long history with Moore County and thoughtful storytelling ability.
“The Pilot and this community have enjoyed a special relationship for decades, and the paper couldn’t have been more fortunate to have as its next editor an individual who has grown up reading The Pilot and being an integral part of this community,” Nagy said. “Alex has a storyteller’s sense of time and place, and he has a unique writing style that will fit in well with this paper’s tradition of writing excellence.”
Woronoff said Podlogar will build on The Pilot’s 106-year legacy of serving the Sandhills with distinction.
Contact Ana Risano at (910) 585-6396 or ana@thepilot.com.
