Atascadero picks Tribune advertising VP as deputy city manager

Terrie Banish, The Tribune's vice president of advertising, will be the city of Atascadero’s new deputy city manager for outreach, promotions and events.

The city created the position for the first time this year as it works to shape its approach to promoting local events and outreach. Banish will also oversee the city’s recreation programs.

“I’m looking forward to offering fresh ideas and new events and bringing the community together,” Banish said of her new role. “The city also has much to offer tourists, such as the Charles Paddock Zoo and the area wineries.”

Banish has been with The Tribune since 2001 and has led its advertising department since 2010 where she oversaw 20 employees and an advertising portfolio that included major national accounts, retail, real estate and digital platforms.

“Atascadero’s gain is a great loss to The Tribune,” said Tribune publisher Tom Cullinan in a letter to staff Thursday.

“Not only do I respect Terrie’s drive, dedication and advertising expertise, I simply enjoy working with her,” he said. “We certainly will miss the day-to-day contributions and the energy that Terrie has brought to our senior management team.”

Banish was chosen out of 110 applications for Atascadero’s new position, which resulted from an extensive recruitment process that included job postings on various professional websites as well as the city’s website and Facebook pages, according to the city.

The process included a full day of three-panel interview sessions with nine top finalists where Banish was ultimately selected by Atascadero city manager Rachelle Rickard.

“The goal of this recruitment was to select from this candidate pool the individual who stood out from the rest as most closely meeting the widely varied requirements of the position,” Rickard said in a statement. “I strongly believe that we have located that … I am particularly pleased to be able to appoint a very well qualified individual who comes to us with a great deal of local knowledge and also with a fresh perspective.”

Banish will be making nearly $92,000 a year plus benefits, according to the city.

She will assume her new post on May 18.

A graduate of San Diego State University, Banish, 51, has worked for The Tribune in a variety of roles. She has been retail advertising manager, major and national accounts manager and North County bureau manager.

“I will miss the team at The Tribune, deeply,” she said, adding that she is proud of the advertising staff’s many accomplishments.

Before moving to San Miguel in 1999, she was a sales manager for Six Flags Theme Parks in the Los Angeles area and also spent several years working for Palace Entertainment, based in Irvine. Banish also worked in California for AIM Technologies, a former sports rewards company based in Texas.

She and her husband, Tom, operate boutique winery Black Hand Cellars in San Miguel, with a tasting room in Cambria. The couple has a 12-year-old daughter, Cassidie.

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Atascadero picks Tribune advertising VP as deputy city manager."