Nodaway News Leader gains two employees

The Nodaway News Leader had two new faces join the team this summer.

Brent Johnson, Stanberry, joined the Nodaway News Leader as the advertising designer in August.

Johnson, son of Terri and Dr. Bruce Johnson, grew up in Stanberry with two younger brothers, Taylor and Trevor.  Johnson worked on his high school newspaper and graduated in 2007. He attended the University of Missouri and later Northwest Missouri State University.

In his spare time, Johnson operates a graphic design business with his dad, Johnson Creative Services. He does freelance graphic design, branding, logos and video production. He also covers Stanberry High School sports for the Tri-County News, King City, and manages several Stanberry school sports social media pages.

For the past nine years, Johnson has been the communications coordinator for the Missouri Association of Student Councils where he managed social media accounts, assisted with website design and designed graphics. He brings years of experience to the team.

Johnson designs ads for the Nodaway News Leader, manages the website and performs office duties.

“I am so thankful to Kay for giving me the opportunity to work at the Nodaway News Leader. I feel blessed to work in a fun environment where I love what I’m doing. I have really enjoyed my time so far and I’m excited to see what the future has in store for me here,” Johnson said.

His hobbies include sports, graphic design, reading and photography. He enjoys watching the TV show “The Office” and is a lifelong fan of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs.

Kim Offutt joined the Nodaway News Leader as a proofreader in July.

Offutt grew up in the small town of Marshall. After high school, she graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a journalism degree in 1999.

She is married to Jason who teaches journalism at Northwest and the couple lives in Maryville with their three children Sam, Sabrina and Sylvia. 

“I like working at the Nodaway News Leader and getting back to my career roots. I’ve been home with my kids and working odd jobs for years. It’s nice to again be doing work for which I’m educated, good at and like. As a bonus, my coworkers are laid back, helpful and have a sense of humor,” Offutt said.

In her spare time she likes learning about the world, people and cultures and is an avid reader. She enjoys spending time with her immediate and extended family.

“I like so many different things. Mostly, I like to laugh. I like humorous books and movies. I laugh at myself on a daily basis. My kids are pretty funny, usually unintentionally. Life can be rough, I might as well have a good sense of humor,” Offutt said.

“Both of these additions to our team will complement the newspaper with their skill levels,” said Kay Wilson, NNL publisher-owner. “As a plus, they both have newspaper experience.”