CHICAGO – Following a series of editorial hires on the local news startup’s fast-growing reporting team, Block Club Chicago announced Friday that veteran Chicago media advertising executive Zack Heydorn will join the staff as the fourth member of the nonprofit’s new revenue department.
Heydorn brings 14 years of experience in advertising and sales in the Chicago market to his new role as the organization’s first Director of Sales. His appointment is the latest move in Block Club’s focused expansion of its business operations team, propelled in part by a three-year, $1.6 million investment from the American Journalism Project.
Heydorn joins Maple Walker Lloyd, Block Club’s Director of Development and Community Engagement since 2019, and recent hire Luriel Ocampo, operations coordinator, on the revenue team helmed by Vice President Lizzie Schiffman Tufano, who joined the staff in September from her previous role as VP of Marketing at the Chicago Sun-Times.
Heydorn, a Chicago-area native, has spent the majority of his career in the local news industry, including a combined six years leading advertising teams at the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, where he oversaw digital advertising strategy and execution and developed an extensive portfolio of innovative products.
“I’ve been a longtime reader and fan of Block Club Chicago, so the opportunity to work alongside these journalists is really a dream come true, ” Heydorn said. “I believe deeply in their mission and couldn’t be more excited to lend my experience to support this team’s commitment to serving Chicago’s communities.”
“Block Club has quickly become a vital and distinctive voice in this city — you can spot a Block Club story a mile away,” he said. “There’s no better pipeline to connect directly with the people of Chicago, and I can’t wait to find new, creative ways to serve our clients and our audience.”
For advertising inquiries, contact Zack at zack@blockclubchi.org or (708) 567-2651