New role with PMN for Inquirer's Bill Marimow

William K. Marimow, former editor of the Inquirer and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, has joined the business side of the newspaper's parent company in the newly created position of vice president of strategic development, publisher Terrance C.Z. Egger announced Monday.

"In his new role, Bill will report to and work directly with me to further deepen our connection with our community," Egger said in a memo to employees of Philadelphia Media Network.

In concert with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the nonprofit that owns PMN, Marimow "will help formulate important projects throughout the company and match them with donors to guarantee the viability of our journalism and our overall business," Egger said.

Marimow also will work to provide "both subscribers and advertisers with consistently excellent customer service," Egger said.

Most recently, Marimow served as editor-at large and vice president for PMN. He previously was editor of the Inquirer.

"I think this is really a great opportunity and an even greater challenge, and timing is right," Marimow said, adding that the newsroom remains "in excellent hands."

PMN, the Inquirer, and Daily News are led by Stan Wischnowski and Gabriel Escobar.

His new job will entail showing the public how important a free press is to democracy, he said.

Marimow, now 70 and a Center City resident, started at the Inquirer as a reporter in 1972 at the age of 24.

He left in 1993 to join the Baltimore Sun, where he eventually became its top editor. In 2004, he joined NPR News as a managing editor.

Marimow returned to the Inquirer in 2006 as the top editor. He left briefly to serve on the faculty of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.