Jill headshot

TIFTON- A current CNHI employee is beginning a new role at the Tifton Gazette as editor.

Jill Holloway, who will continue as editor of The Thomasville Times-Enterprise as well, started her new role Sept. 5.

A native of Albany, Holloway graduated from the University of Alabama’s College of Public Relations and Communications in 2017 and within months was a reporter for the Bainbridge Post-Searchlight. In 2020, she was named editor of the Post-Searchlight after being named the Georgia Press Association’s Emerging Young Journalist.

“After I was named editor, a lot of changes took place in our newsroom,” she recalled. “Our General Manager decided to take another job and our part-time reporter stepped away, leaving it a one-woman show.”

While Holloway continued to juggle the duties of a community paper, she found a love for designing the layout and covering crime, especially cases that created a ripple effect in the community.

After two years at the helm of the Post-Searchlight, Holloway took a job offer as the new editor of the Thomasville Times-Enterprise in August 2022.

“I just felt like it was the natural next step in my career,” she said. “I would be going from a two-day-a-week paper to a three day a week. It seemed like the perfect time to take on a bit more responsibility.”

Upon moving to Thomasville, Holloway immersed herself in the community, joining the United Way of Thomas County Board and Junior Service League as a provisional member. In her spare time, she volunteered as a leader with YoungLife Thomas County, hoping to lead young high school students to Christ.

Holloway continued to navigate her career throughout the past year, showing growth and leading the Times-Enterprise to several wins at the Georgia Press Association for the first time in years.

When considering the job at the Times-Enterprise, Holloway realized they were not competing in the GPA’s annual Better Newspaper Contest Awards and was determined to have the newspaper compete under her guidance.

“It’s the only way you ever get better,” she said. “You compete against the best of the best and gain valuable insight and feedback from judges who work daily in this industry.”

Despite not having a full year to prepare, Holloway received second place in Education writing, while the paper would also take home the best-breaking news writing in their division. However, she knows she has big shoes to fill, noting the Tifton Gazette received the General Excellence Award.

“The General Excellence Award is such a huge honor for any newspaper and I hope to continue the longstanding tradition of the Tifton Gazette being a recipient,” she said.

Prior to Holloway taking on the role, the Tifton Gazette was led by Dean Poling, who managed the Valdosta Daily Times as well. He retired in September after winning the General Excellence Award for both Tifton and the VDT.

“It would be a dream to follow in Dean’s footsteps and win the General Excellence Award for both Tifton and Thomasville,” Holloway said. “I’m definitely going to put my best foot forward and give it all I’ve got.”

While Holloway will not be in Tifton daily, as she continues to manage the Times-Enterprise, Thomasville Scene and both the Tifton Scene and Valdosta Scene magazine, she looks forward to meeting residents when time allows. She encourages anyone interested in speaking to her about the paper to reach out to her by email at Jill.holloway@gaflnews.com.