THE Tribune Media Group has appointed Ollie Dupuch-Ferguson, a man with decades of experience in administration in various sectors of Bahamian working life, as its new Chief Operating Officer.

Mr Ferguson, the eldest grandchild of the late Sir Etienne Dupuch, the original driving force behind The Tribune newspaper, said he is eager to be an integral part of a thriving organisation which has lasted several generations. The group comprises the daily national newspaper and five radio stations, 100JAMZ, Cool 96FM, Joy FM, Y98 Radio and Classical FM. His appointment takes effect from today.

“I am really looking forward to the continuation,” Mr Ferguson, 54, said, “of what was started so many generations ago and being an integral part of that.

“For me, coming back is that I see familiar faces from when I left and that’s what tells me that the corporate culture in The Tribune Media Group is such that it allows people to grow in a thriving working atmosphere with a great deal of loyalty in the people that work together.

“It further speaks to a great environment because this is a place where the core values are in place.”

Welcoming the appointment last night, Tribune Media Group president Robert Carron said: “Ollie’s proven leadership, experience and skills – as well as his embracing of The Tribune’s founding principle of ‘Being Bound To Swear To The Dogmas of No Master’ and core values – will play a key role in providing the team with the structure it needs so as to compete and take up the exciting opportunities that our new world presents.

“I look forward to Ollie unveiling our crusading company’s vision and goals in the very near future. On behalf of our Publisher and Chairman, Mrs Eileen Dupuch-Carron, and the entire Tribune family it gives me great pleasure to welcome Ollie back to the ‘People’s Newspaper and Radio Station!’.”

Aside from work, Mr Ferguson will be familiar to television viewers having made documentary and television appearances on Regis and Cathy Lees’ “The Morning Show”, The Learning Channel’s “Danger Zone”, WTSP Channel 10 in Tampa Bay production of “Getting out Alive, Shark Attacks” and on CBS-TV’s “Ordinary/Extraordinary”, with Leanza Cornett.

Prior to serving as the General Manager of The Freeport News from 2008 to 2014, Mr Ferguson was a real estate agent with Coldwell James Sarles Realty.

He was also General Manager of Abaco Market - Solomon’s Freeport Division from 2002 to 2005 and Vice President/Director of Human Resources & Training at the Underwater Explorers Society Ltd for three years before that.

He was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Nassau. After graduating from St Andrews School, he attended Kent School in Connecticut and Jacksonville University in Florida. He has two daughters, Carina Marie and Mallory Marie, and enjoys snorkelling, biking and running.

He joined the Rotary Club of Grand Bahama, Sunrise in 1996.