As Middle Tennessee State University’s vice president for marketing and communications, Dr. Andrew Oppmann leads the institution’s efforts to tell unique stories on multiple platforms. His team shapes and implements organic and paid advertising and communications strategies that serve the needs and priorities of the university’s colleges and units. Also, as the university’s chief spokesman, Oppmann also works with the President and Provost to shape executive-level outreach.

As executive producer of MTSU True Blue TV, Oppmann is also responsible for the university’s premier video platform and public access channel for live broadcasts, campus original programming and event productions. He is host and executive producer of “Out of the Blue,” MTSU’s public service program that airs in 20 states. During his tenure, MTSU received its first Emmy Award in 2024 and multiple Telly Awards for various projects.

And he has led several special initiatives, such as bolstering MTSU’s ties to higher education entities in several countries and helping launch the MTSU Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center. He also established MTSU’s partnerships with major brands, including The Grammys; Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival; Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture event; Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force volunteer civilian auxiliary; Grand Ole Opry; Nashville Predators hockey; Nashville Sounds baseball; Nashville Superspeedway; Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix; and Middle Tennessee Council of Scouting America.

Oppmann worked more than 25 years as executive, editor or reporter for news organizations in Alabama, California, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Before joining MTSU in 2010, he was a vice president at The Tennessean in Nashville and president and publisher of Gannett Tennessee’s media groups in Murfreesboro (The Daily News Journal) and Clarksville (The Leaf-Chronicle). He earned his doctoral degree and master’s degree from MTSU (higher education administration and strategic leadership, respectively) and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky (journalism).

In 2026, Oppmann was named the MTSU’s Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment’s first Professor of Practice. He has taught classes for the School of Journalism and Strategic Media since 2011. He was conferred lifetime membership and regent status by the Associated Press Media Editors for his career as a journalist and educator, as well as the longest-serving editor of APME News magazine. He currently serves on the Publisher’s Advisory Board for Stars and Stripes, which provides independent news and information to the U.S. military community.

Oppmann is a lieutenant colonel in Civil Air Patrol, where he serves as a member of its National Board of Governors and previously served as CAP’s interim national chief of marketing and strategic communications. He is an Army Reserve Ambassador; and, as an Eagle Scout, a Scouting America volunteer. He lives in Murfreesboro with his wife, Elise. Daughters Emily and Sarah are alumna of MTSU and their youngest, Rachel, enrolled at MTSU in the fall of 2024.

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DeGennaro, N., and Oppmann, A. “Social Media Best Practices.”  Presented to the 81st Readiness Division U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador Conference, September 2025.

Oppmann, A. “Outreach Suggestions for Army Reserve Ambassadors.”Presented at the U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador national conference, September 2024.

Oppmann, A. “Media Writing is Not That Hard.” Presented at the 2019 Southeast Region Conference of Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, June 2019.

Oppmann, A., and Torp-Pedersen, M. “Media Writing is Not That Hard.” Presented via video to the 2018 Public Affairs Academy of Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, at its national conference, August 2018.

Oppmann, A. “Mommie! Please read me a Press Release! Cracking the Code of CAP,News.” Presented to the 2017 Public Affairs Academy of Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, at its annual national conference, August 2017. 

DeBardladen, J., and Oppmann, A. “CAP’s PAOs Rock Hurricane Matthew Coverage.”  Presented to the 2016 Public Affairs Academy of Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, at its national conference, August 2016. 

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• Best Newspaper Columnist, Wisconsin Press Association, 2004, and Best of Gannett annual journalism competition, 2004. Honored for columns about the death of my infant son from Potter’s Syndrome and using the tragedy to help others reflect and share stories on similar losses. 
• Finalist, Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award (team award), 2004. Honored for enterprise reporting on Hmong migration from Thailand. 
• Gannett (now USA Today Co.) President’s Ring for News (Top 10 executive editors in company), 2005 
• Gannett (now USA Today Co.) President’s Ring for Publishers, 2008 (Top 10 publishers in the company; also named one of Gannett's Top 3 publishers for the year) 
• Gannett (now USA Today Co.) Chairman’s Award, awarded to top performers across all divisions of company (U.S. Community Publishing, USA Today and Broadcast), 2009. 
• Numerous individual and team awards, Tennessee College Public Relations Association, 2011 to present. Recognized with numerous individual and team awards for best of show, writing, editing, projects, digital efforts, magazine production and other communications efforts. 
• Numerous individual and team awards, Public Relations Society of America, Greater Nashville chapter (Parthenon Awards), 2012 to present.
• Numerous individual and team honors, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), 2011 to present,
• Numerous individual and team honors, Telly Awards, recognizing national excellence in television, reporting and anchoring, and video production
• Regional Emmy Award (television commercial; team award), 2024

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President and Publisher 
The Leaf-Chronicle and TheLeafChronicle.com, Clarksville, Tennessee September 2008 – November 2010 

• Promoted by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to serve dual publisher role in Clarksville and Murfreesboro. 
• Chief executive officer for The Leaf-Chronicle and the Leaf Media Group, which served Clarksville and Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• Responsible for news, advertising, marketing, community relations and business operations for the media group. Mentored and directed executive editor on key coverage topics and priorities. Chaired its Editorial Board, which determined stances on its opinion pages. 
• Redefined operations, philosophy and public profile to doing business as a media group, which emphasizes our role as steward of a collection of print and digital platforms and brands that target audiences in multiple ways and provide reach beyond just our core daily newspaper. 
• Created new digital platforms and initiated new online tactics that significantly grew online audience and traffic. 
• Led several significant restructurings to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. 

President and Publisher 
The Daily News Journal and DNJ.com, Murfreesboro, Tennessee May 2007 – November 2010 

• Promoted by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to serve in dual executive role in Nashville and Murfreesboro in 2007, then to dual role in Murfreesboro and Clarksville in 2008. 
• Chief executive officer for The Daily News Journal and DNJ Media Group, which served Rutherford County, one of the eight counties of the Greater Nashville market. 
• Responsible for news, advertising, marketing, community relations and business operations for the media group. Mentored and directed executive editor on key coverage topics and priorities. Chaired its Editorial Board, which determined stances on its opinion pages. 
• Designed and launched Gannett's Community Print Operations Center, a consolidated copy desk based in Murfreesboro that does page design and production for the company's daily newspapers in Clarksville, Jackson and Murfreesboro. First-of-its-kind operation in Tennessee. 
• Redefined operations, philosophy and public profile to doing business as a media group, which emphasizes our role as steward of a collection of print and digital platforms and brands that target audiences in multiple ways and provide reach beyond just our core daily newspaper. Created new digital platforms and initiated new online tactics that significantly grew online audience and traffic. 
• Led several significant restructurings to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. 
• Also served as vice president of Pacific and Southern Co., a Gannett subsidiary, which controlled The DNJ as well as WATL-TV, Atlanta, Georgia.; WCSH-TV, Portland, Maine; WLBZ-TV, Bangor, Maine; WLTX-TV, Columbia, South Carolina.; WMAZ-TV, Macon, Georgia.; WTSP-TV, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida; and WXIA-TV, Atlanta, Georgia

Vice President for Audience Management 
The Tennessean and Tennessean.com, Nashville, Tennessee May 2007 - September 2008 

• Promoted by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to serve in a dual executive role in Nashville and Murfreesboro. 
• Senior executive for The Tennessean, which was the leading news and information company for Nashville and the eight-county middle Tennessee area. It was the flagship for Gannett Tennessee, a group of news websites; daily and weekly newspapers; and other digital and specialty products. 
• Served as assistant to the publisher; helped develop targeted audience products; assisted with digital initiatives; introduced new audience methods (IDEO); and led the Operating Committee's weekly operational team meetings. 
• Left Nashville job to assume dual publisher role in Clarksville and Murfreesboro. 

Executive Editor and General Manager 
The Post-Crescent and PostCrescent.com, Appleton-Neenah-Menasha, Wisconsin March 2001 - May 2007 

• Promoted by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to serve as top editor in 2001 of the newspaper and website serving Appleton and the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin. 
• Served as senior editor for the Gannett Wisconsin East group, coordinating special event coverage (2002 MLB All-Star Game, 2004 PGA Championship), projects and investigations and developing operational efficiencies. 
• Devised and implemented significant enhancements to digital operations, including a digital-first approach in content generation, video production, text and e-mail alerts and livestreaming of breaking news events.
• Guided newspaper from afternoon-only editions to morning and afternoon editions to increase single-copy sales and expand reach. 
• Introduced content strategies based on growing key audiences, such as affluent women, boomers, young professionals and families with children. Built special targeted print and digital sections to identify and expand key audience reach. 
• Developed convergence partnership with CBS-affiliate station in Green Bay, installing a live broadcast site in our newsroom. Served as on-air reporter and remote anchor, appearing on morning shows and nightly newscasts. 
• The P-C was named Gannett’s Most Improved Newspaper in 2003 and was named Daily Newspaper of the Year (top honor) for four consecutive years by the Wisconsin Press Association (2004-07) 
• Promoted to dual role of General Manager in 2005, responsible for community relations and partnerships and assisting with oversight of day-to-day business operations. 
• Served as volunteer professional adviser and resource to The Lawrentian, the weekly student newspaper of Lawrence University in Appleton. 

Managing Editor 
Montgomery Advertiser and MontgomeryAdvertiser.com, Montgomery, Alabama January 1998 - March 2001 

• Promoted by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to serve as the No. 2 editor at Alabama's capital daily newspaper. 
• In charge of day-to-day news gathering operations serving Montgomery, Autauga and Elmore counties and supervised teams covering Alabama, Auburn and other college athletics; Alabama state government and politics; and other key topics. 
• Crafted and implemented the newspaper’s first digital coverage strategies. 
• Launched several new sections and features, including weekly college football section (College Game Day). 
• The Advertiser was named Gannett's Most Improved Newspaper in 1998.

Kentucky Editor 
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Fort Mitchell, Kentucky October 1994 - December 1997 

• Recruited by Gannett Co. Inc. (now USA Today Co.) to lead its expansion and reintroduction into the Northern Kentucky counties of Boone, Kenton and Campbell. 
• Served as editor of The Kentucky Enquirer, an edition of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Directed news coverage and represented The Enquirer in the Northern Kentucky community. 
• Also worked as an adjunct professor of journalism for The Union Institute in Cincinnati. 

Metro Editor, Deputy Metro Editor 
The Houston Post, Houston, Texas March 1991 - October 1994 

• As deputy editor, supervised coverage of Houston city government, Harris County government and NASA's Johnson Space Center. 
• One of three editors who led The Post's coverage of the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston. 
• Promoted to metro editor in October 1992, becoming responsible for all local news coverage of the Houston metropolitan area. 

Assistant Metro Editor, Bureau Chief 
Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, Kentucky October 1988 - March 1991 

• Led the University of Kentucky Bureau, a partnership between the newspaper and UK's journalism school that mentored and trained student interns each semester as part of a senior-level writing course. 
• Covered news, features and issues about UK and higher education. 
• Promoted to editor, working nights and weekends on the Metro Desk. 
• Served as deputy editor of the newspaper’s special coverage of the 1990 Kentucky Derby. 

Urban Affairs Writer 
Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville, Tennessee February 1987 - October 1988 

• Covered downtown redevelopment, transportation and growth, and future use planning for the 1982 World's Fair site. 
• Assisted with coverage of city and county government, business news and special project assignments. 
• Part of Scripps Howard coverage team for the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. 

Staff Writer 
The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, California May 1985 - August 1986

• Covered business news for coastal communities from Seal Beach to the north to San Clemente to the south.

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