Holley named new RDL publisher; Pye to enter retirement

Effective immediately, the Ruston Daily Leader is under new leadership with Celeste Holley stepping up as publisher. Jerry Pye, a 50-year veteran of the newspaper business, is retiring from the Leader after returning to Ruston a year ago to take the reins of the newspaper where he first entered the business.

Holley takes over as publisher having served as advertising director and general manager after arriving at the Leader in April of 2019.

“It is an honor to sit behind the desk as publisher of the Ruston Daily Leader,” Holley said. “This newspaper has been guided by so many talented people over the years, and I am embracing this challenge.

“I am looking forward to getting out in our community and exchanging ideas with our readers to continue to give you what you want in your community paper,” she continued.

Holley is a graduate of UL-Monroe with a bachelor’s degree in management and has roots in north Louisiana, having grown up in the northeast corner of the state. She has been a resident of Ruston since 2007 and has a son attending A.E. Phillips Laboratory School.

“My love for helping people and my work ethic started at an early age while working on the family farm, Produce Ridge of Epps,” she said. “My dad grows everything under the sun, and his focus on hard work was instilled in me along with the importance of going above and beyond.”

Pye came out of retirement in August of 2021 to step into the role as publisher after a long and traveled career across the nation.

His distinguished career in newspapers began in the same building in 1978, when he was named the manager of the Leader’s circulation department. This past June he was honored by the Louisiana Press Association as the newest member of its prestigious “50-year Club.”

“I had a dream once to one day run the Ruston Daily Leader,” Pye said. “This is my hometown paper, and I thoroughly enjoyed the last year. We have accomplished a lot, but it’s time to go home. Instead of helping our staff produce an award-winning newspaper, Ruby and I will be undertaking a more important job: playing grandpa and gran gran to our grandchildren and embarking on traveling adventures.”

Holley said she has learned a great deal under the leadership of Pye during the past year and plans to continue to work closely with the staff.

“My goal is to work side by side with the Leader’s award-winning staff that produces outstanding publications,” she said. “Whether it’s the news staff, advertising, our press crew, or our business office, we take pride in our professionalism. That will continue with hard work and perspiration.”

Holley has one more message for the public. “If you’re in the neighborhood, come by our office at 212 W. Park Ave. and say hello. My door is always open.”