Bill was born and raised in Parry Sound. He worked as a wholesale merchandise salesman for several years before starting his advertising career with the local Parry Sound radio station in 1976. In 1982 Bill switched to newspaper advertising sales with the Parry Sound Beacon.
He and his family moved to Huntsville in 1986 to help start the Muskoka Advance. He went on to hold a number of managerial positions with the Muskoka Publications Group.
Bill is very pleased to be part of Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distribution as the General Manager of the Huntsville Forester.

Paula began her career in the newspaper industry on Manitoulin Island in the early 1980s then continued on to North Bay. In the fall of 1989 Paula and her husband Philip decided to make Huntsville home.
As the production manager of The Huntsville Forester and mother of twin boys, she enjoys the excitement of the daily tasks and working with such a great team.
She is very pleased to be a part of ‘The Forester Family’.

Jennifer Cooper's 10-year career in television introduced her to the world of marketing and advertising where she discovered a true calling and passion for the field. Jennifer began at the Huntsville Forester as an Advertising Representative and has most recently moved into the Internet department as Manager, Online Sales & Marketing for Metroland North Media. Jennifer is excited to be a part of our online initiatives and is looking forward to extending our business solutions to our customers.

Before Tamara de la Vega Bryon became staff reporter with the Huntsville Forester in March 2000, she spent a great deal of time travelling Europe, the Middle East and South America. She interned for United Press International, reported for various publications in Toronto, and worked for an English publication in Santiago, Chile.
"When it came time to settle down, Huntsville was my place of choice. This is a vibrant community and the dynamics of both a permanent and seasonal population make for some interesting stories. It also happens to be a great place to raise a child."
Her beats include covering District of Muskoka and Lake of Bays councils, political affairs, human-interest stories and the environment.

Bruce Hickey has been writing and taking photographs for community newspapers since 1991. In the spring of 2003 he took the job as managing editor of the Huntsville Forester.
Bruce grew up in the Ottawa Valley community of Renfrew, where he cut his teeth as a reporter at the local newspaper. He came to Huntsville in 1995 after working in northern Ontario and has covered a wide range of beats, including education, sports, politics, court and crime, and hospital issues.
Along with continuing to write for the paper, Bruce oversees the editorial department’s contribution to the Forester and its sister papers each week.

Our Sales Manager, Michael, has called Huntsville home since 1983. He has been providing sales and customer service to the community for more than 20 years.
His avid involvement with local charities, sports and community events has given him an understanding and appreciation for what Muskoka has to offer.
"I look forward to helping you and answering any questions you may have with your advertising needs."

Brenda started with the Huntsville Forester in 1993 to cover a maternity leave. As they say – the rest is history...

Wayne was born in Kincardine, Ontario and started his newspaper career as a Linotype operator (typesetting the paper in hot lead) with the Kincardine News. He then moved to Gravenhurst with his family working with the Muskoka News. One year later he moved with his family to Bracebridge where he was employed at the Herald Gazette. Along with two business partners, Wayne established a web printing plant called Muskoka Web printing local weekly newspapers and employing over 60 people. Returning to the newspaper side he became operations manager of Muskoka Publications Group.
In 1994, Wayne was responsible for setting up the distribution centre for the District Weekender and in 2005 also set up the Almaguin Forester distribution centre. Today, Wayne is the Distribution Manager for Metroland North Media, Muskoka/Almaguin Division.
Wayne enjoys playing and watching all sports and especially watching his grandchildren participate.

Andrew, born in Parry Sound, Ontario was raised in Huntsville most of his life. After he graduated from Huntsville High School, he began his career in the retail business working full time for Pepsi Bottling Group and part time for Kraft Canada.
Andrew wanted to seek a position in the sales field and is now very excited to be a part of the Huntsville Forester Sales Team.
Andrew looks forward to helping his customers with all of their advertising.

Dawn Corbett is currently on Maternity Leave. Please contact Rose Evans in her absence.

With a background in hospitality and sales, Rose Evans has a passion for working with people. A resident of Huntsville for the past 16 years, Rose has worked with many charitable organizations such as Golf Fore the Cure, Chrysalis and the Terry Fox Run. As the newest member of the advertising sales team, Rose is looking forward to combining her vast non-profit and hospitality experience to help serve her customers. Rose's co-workers are looking forward to the positive attitude and wealth of experience Rose brings with her to the sales team.

Philip began his advertising career in North Bay in 1976 with a company called Print Promotions. During the next five years, Philip travelled extensively throughout Ontario and British Columbia selling and finalizing special promotions and features for the Thomson newspaper chain.
Wishing to curtail the many weeks and miles of travelling, he left that position and began closer to home with the Almaguin News, specifically working in North Bay and Huntsville.
When the opportunity arose for both he and his wife Paula to join the Huntsville Forester, the decision was made - Huntsville will become home! That was in the fall of 1989. Since then, he has seen the Forester through countless positive growth changes and eagerly looks forward to changes yet to come... both at the Forester and for the Town of Huntsville.

Joe has been a Muskoka resident all of his life, and loves the natural beauty of this area. He is a father of two children.
A graduate of the Advertising/Marketing program at Georgian College, he has been a Real Estate Sales Representative in Huntsville for the last ten years, and now enjoys looking after the real estate section of the Forester.
With a strong customer service background in a variety of sales and management positions, Joe looks forward to listening to your needs and serving you in a friendly, professional and courteous manner!

Steve started his sales career with a small advertising business of his own and then went on to work for the Huntsville Herald in sales. After that he worked at Rock 95 Radio and finally, in April of 2003, he started work at the Huntsville Forester.

Charlene Payne is currently on Maternity Leave.

Debbie started with the Huntsville Forester as an Accounting Clerk in April of 2006. She comes to us from the Almaguin News. Debbie is married with 3 children, and is a self-proclaimed 'hockey mom' – she is involved with the AMHA (Almaguin Minor Hockey Association) executive, and is a trainer and manager. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys camping, reading, drawing and writing.

Laura is married with three children aged 15, 14 and 9. She moved to Muskoka in 1997 from the London area.
She is very involved with soccer and hockey in Huntsville at both an dministrative level as well as a being a sports mom.
Laura loves to travel and experience different cultures and foods - somewhere new every time, but has a soft spot for the sunny south / Caribbean.
She believes there’s no place better to live than Muskoka - boating, hiking, fishing, lakes... the list goes on and on (and we don't have a lot of traffic lights here)!

Until May 2004, when she elected for semi-retirement, Gillian had been a full-time reporter with the Huntsville Forester.
She began her career with the Northern Times in Kapuskasing many moons ago, first as a wedding and obit writer, then as the reporter charged with covering municipal politics, a beat she held at the Forester for 11 years.
“With my kids now adults and my husband retired, I decided it was time to slow down and smell the roses. But the Forester is in my blood, so I can’t let go completely,” she says.
Gillian now focuses her writing on seniors’ issues, the arts and community events, with the occasional feature thrown in for good measure.

Brent Cooper has a great affinity for the Huntsville area, having worked for the old Huntsville Herald News in the late 1980s, first as the paper's sports editor and later as its news editor. He also integrated himself into the community, helping to organize a hockey goaltenders' instruction clinic as well as serving as secretary for the Huntsvile Hawks Senior Lacrosse Club in 1988.
Following a 10-year employment with the Elliot Lake Standard from 1989 to 2000, Brent returned to this community in 2001 to cover the business and sports beats for the Forester.
"When the chance to come back to Muskoka presented itself, I jumped at it. I enjoyed myself a great deal when I lived here before, and I knew I would enjoy coming back to Huntsville for a new challenge."

Darren is excited to be back in newspapers and to be working with the Bracebridge Examiner, Gravenhurst Banner and Huntsville Forester as a regional reporter/photographer/videographer.
Originally from the suburbs of Toronto, journalism has taken Darren around the province from Kenora to Toronto and finally to Ontario’s cottage country where he spent five years, first as a reporter then photographer, at the award-winning newspapers the Haliburton County Echo and The Minden Times. His work has garnered him several awards in the Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Canadian Community Newspapers Association, including two honourable mention awards for Photographer of the Year.
Last year Darren joined the faculty of journalism at Humber College, teaching news photography part-time, and was the staff photographer at Muskoka Magazine.

After two years of trying to get her foot in the door at the Huntsville Forester, Laura MacLean's dream of joining her hometown newspaper was made a reality in the summer of 2005.
She graduated from the Print Journalism program at Cambrian College in Sudbury in 2003 and completed her placement at the Bracebridge Examiner and the Muskokan newspaper that same year. The placement led her to a full-time position at the Examiner, where Laura was responsible for covering Township of Muskoka Lakes council and municipal news stories.
From 2004 to 2005, Laura took an alternative route and began establishing herself as a freelance journalist and photographer. She wrote numerous stories for Cottage Country Communications.
As she continues her role as the weekend reporter for the Huntsville Forester, Laura can always be seen in the middle of a local event, camera in one hand, notebook in the other.

After growing up in Gravenhurst, Carlye recently graduated from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in media studies and a college diploma in journalism.
She began her newspaper career as a reporter and copy editor with the Muskoka Sun in 2005 and has spent the last year working in the GTA, freelancing for Canadian Living and Homemaker’s magazines. She also worked last summer as a reporter for the Canadian Press.
Carlye is currently living in Gravenhurst and hopes to settle down “somewhere in Muskoka” with her fiancé, Mike.
After five years in the bright lights of the big city, Carlye is excited to be home in Muskoka, and looking forward to getting to know the Huntsville community.

Tracy was bit by the publishing bug early in life, leading her to stints at The Globe and Mail, Razor Magazine and Brunico Communications. She has been working behind the scenes with the Forester Family since last summer.
It's hard to describe exactly what Tracy does at the Forester, but she enjoys coming to work every day and loves the view of the lakes on her commute. Tracy is excited to be involved in the Forester's new digital plans. She spends much of her time researching and putting together special supplements for the Huntsville Forester and handles copy editing and production duties for the Almaguin paper.
Tracy made the move from Toronto's west end to Dwight just over a year ago, looking for a place to write 'the great Canadian novel.' It's still a work in progress, but then so is she.
She misses her family in Arizona, Buffalo and Toronto, but Arizona's a nice place to visit when the Huntsville winter hits... cacti and jackalopes, anyone?

Patrick started with the Huntsville Forester in early 2005 as a proofreader. Soon thereafter, he was moved to a more familiar role as a Production Artist, and then Webmaster of Metroland-owned websites in Muskoka and Almaguin. He now works as Regional Programmer for Metroland North Media.
Before working at the Forester, Patrick spent a few years working in the graphics industry, working as both a sign shop manager and a freelance graphic designer. His post-secondary education spanned 3 years at NBCC (New Brunswick Community College) Miramichi and Seneca College, where he specialized in 3D graphics and digital media.
In his spare time, Patrick creates and manages websites for a number of different clients, and he is always looking for more to keep him busy. He enjoys spending time with his fiancée, toying with computers, creating 3D and 2D art, and playing as many video games as humanly possible.

Jason became the Web facilitator of Metroland North Media’s Muskoka Region in August of 2007. Armed with a diploma in Multi-media Design from Durham College and endless creativity, Jason is ready for all the challenges that await him. Jason joins us from North Bay, where most recently he was a web developer, building and designing an online business directory for that region. Predating his stint in North Bay, Jason lived and grew up in Bracebridge, where he enjoyed participating in several sports and activities. Among his favourites are golf and paintball, which he tries to do whenever possible. Jason also enjoys creating original artworks via more traditional mediums, such as watercolours and detailed pencil sketches, as well as creating other digital media pieces in his spare time. Jason is responsible for the design and content management of Metroland-owned websites in both the Muskoka and Almaguin regions.

Diane was born and raised in Burk's Falls and spent three years in Toronto working for the MTO head office. She then returned home to raise a family.
She has four children – 2 girls, then twins (a girl and a boy). The two oldest reside in the area, one daughter in Oakville / Burlington area, and a son in the navy.
Diane began with the Huntsville Forester in February of 2005. Prior to employment with the Forester, she worked at the Almaguin News since 1986.
Diane and her husband, Jerry, have both been involved in Minor Hockey. Jerry is still involved as OMHA convener.
Presently, Diane is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, Burk's Falls Branch 405, Royal Canadian Legion, and is also a member of the Almaguin Highlands Community Policing.

Gail Knaus has worked at the Huntsville Forester in production for the past 7 years.
Whenever she can, she takes time off to travel the world, meet new people and experience new cultures.
Gail currently lives in Port Sydney and plans to retire somewhere warm year-round.
She began her career as a proofreader with McLaren Press out of Bracebridge (formerly Mississauga). She worked ten years with Agfa-Compugraphic Division, training staff in production at small newspapers/printers across Canada.
The ever changing newspaper business has kept Gail's interest for the past 27 years and she enjoys very much her choice of jobs.

Cathy started out in the newspaper business 25 years ago as a reporter, photographer and editor, working at several community newspapers in small towns throughout southern Ontario including Gravenhurst, Milton, Peterborough and Port Perry.
About 10 years ago she changed her focus and began concentrating on the production end of things, creating ads and doing lay-out. She spent time working in downtown Toronto for a national medical publication, Family Practice, before moving to the Haliburton County Echo where she won several writing and design awards. Her latest award was Best Photo Illustration at the Canadian Community Newspapers Association in May 2006.
Cathy started with the Forester in May and is enjoying being part of the Forester family. She shares her life with her partner, Dave, and her two sons, Angus and Sam.

Doug began his newspaper career early, helping his older brother with his paper route at age 6 and getting his own at age 8. He wrote a column for the local weekly on high school life and after took a course at Sheridan College in advertising. He had considered the journalism course until being made aware of the vow of poverty taken by its graduates. Upon completion of this course he went to work selling advertising. While working for a weekly in Milton, Ontario, he wrote a humour column as well as learning typesetting and paste-up in order to lend a helping hand in the production department, in order to get his ads out to his customers as early as possible.
After spending time selling advertising for a number of small-town weeklies in southern Ontario he headed up to Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) to work for The Nunatsiaq News, a trilingual (English, French, Inuktitut) publication serving the Eastern Arctic region.
On his return from the great white north, he shifted his focus to the production side of the business, moving into the print business and out of newspapers for over a decade.
Upon finding the love of his life in Muskoka he moved to Huntsville and landed a job in the Forester production department, where he can be found, happy and hard at work most weekdays.

Jennifer was born and raised in Toronto, although her true love of Ontario was found at her family cottage in Parry Sound.
At a very young age she discovered a passion for painting and illustration. She now runs a side business of creating custom pencil portraits.
Jennifer decided that Graphic Design was a way to use her creativity in the workplace. She graduated from the Graphic Design program at George Brown College and has since had a colorful career as an Art Director in this field. She has had the opportunity to work with many top tier clients including Canadian artist Jann Arden!
After spending 8 years amongst the hustle & bustle of the Toronto agency scene, she made the decision to find a more inspirational and beautiful place to live. Huntsville was the perfect choice.
Jennifer has recently joined the “Forester Family” and looks forward to her new journey in this community.

Tina began working part-time at the Huntsville Forester in October of 1998, and soon thereafter full-time in the Production department.
Tina was born and raised in Huntsville. She travelled extensively as a musician, worked with an all-girl band as a drummer and vocalist, and then persued a solo career. She has been featured on CMT and EP, has toured for many years throughout Canada, and has spent a significant amount of time in Nashville.
Tina has resided in the Huntsville area full-time since 2001. Using her abilities, Tina has devoted much of her time and efforts to help local charities. Her family spans three generations in the area.
She enjoys the outdoors, fishing, music, friends, and animals, and looks forward to furthering her skills and sharing a long career with the Forester Family.

Paula Boon has been the copy editor of the Huntsville Forester since 2002, checking over virtually all of the stories in each week's paper.
A graduate of Irwin Memorial Public School and former Huntsville High School student, Paula trained as an English teacher. However, after five years of teaching, she decided the time had come to pursue her dream of writing. Since then, she has produced numerous magazine articles, short stories and an as-yet unpublished novel.
Working part-time at the Forester provides welcome balance to Paula's life as a writer and mother.

Leah came to the Forester in early 2005, and since then, has proofread all the ads for the Huntsville Forester, Almaguin Forester, Weekender, Advance, and all supplements that go with these publications.
Leah fell into printing/typesetting over 20 years ago. She had her own printing/typesetting business (with a partner) on the Danforth in Toronto for 5 years. She freelanced for another 7 years. Through this business, a small community newspaper was put out called 'Around the Town'.
After, Leah went back to school and received an Information Systems certificate, and worked in the CRM industry for 7 years in training/supervisory postions.
One weekend, Leah took a drive north, and decided that it felt like home. Soon thereafter, Leah decided to buy a home while still commuting – then decided to go back to her first love of printing/typesetting and all that it entails with the Forester.

Mimi is from St. Catharines, and moved here in 1999 with hubby Mark, son Jacob and daughter Jessica.
Her dream came true in spring of 2007 in having her horses at home to enjoy daily. Jessica also loves the horses. Mark and Jacob love "horsepower". Along with the two horses, Mimi has two dogs, two birds and one really fat cat!
Mimi also reads a lot and is rarely ever in the house. On Mondays, she can be found pitching for her baseball team - the Home Depot.