Chief operating officer

Scott Kingsley

Posted

Scott joined Creative Circle in August 2022 as Chief Operating Officer, but he's very familiar with Creative Circle and most members of the team.

As COO, he oversees customer support and new site launches as well as our facilities and equipment and other stuff. And he has long served as one of our specialist consultants and trainers for audio and video journalism.

In 1994, Bill Ostendorf, then managing editor for visuals at the Providence Journal, hired Scott from the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press. Scott started as a photo editor, working beside Lynn Rognsvoog, who was the Journal's lead designer and now holds the same role at Creative Circle.

Scott became the assignment editor, managing the visual department's day-to-day coverage and resources. While Bill, Scott and Lynn were at The Providence Journal, the paper won NPPA's Best use of Photos and covered major events, including multiple pro championships and the crash of John Kennedy's plane on Martha's Vineyard and the 2003 Station fire in West Warwick. The Journal was named a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage. Scott eventually rose to AME for visuals before leaving the Journal (that is to say, he was laid off in 2009). After recovering from that shock, Scott and a colleague hustled freelance photo and video assignments for colleges, nonprofits and medical organizations for several years — working out of spare space in the Creative Circle offices in East Providence.

While he was building his freelance business, Scott was offered a job he couldn't refuse. So for seven years, Scott worked as Director of Multimedia at the Houston Chronicle. He was once again working with top photojournalists in a great newsroom.

Highlights from his Houston years include organizing and editing coverage of a Final Four, Hurricane Harvey (and several other major flood events), explosions, an Astros World Series win, presidential elections, the pandemic, the murder of Houston-native George Floyd — and, oh yeah — the Patriots amazing comeback from a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Being one of three New Englanders in a newsroom full of Patriots haters as the second half unfolded was a special experience. He also helped the Chronicle launch a range of podcasts.

Even with the ability to work remotely much of the time after the pandemic hit, the option of a 15-mile commute to work (rather than 1500-mile flights) and an opportunity to help hundreds of family owned newspapers finally brought Scott home to New England and Creative Circle.

Living in nearby North Attleboro, Mass., Scott and his wife, Coleen, are the parents of five creative, interesting and seemingly well-adjusted adult children who are scattered around the Northeast.

You can contact Scott@creativecirclemedia.com.