Bert Caldwell, S-R editorial page editor, to retire; Gary Crooks named successor

Bert Caldwell will retire Feb. 19 after almost five years as editorial page editor of The Spokesman-Review.

“His judgment and sense of fairness has consistently brought a compelling mix of voices to the opinion section,” Publisher Stacey Cowles said Tuesday in announcing the news.

Associate Editor Gary Crooks will take over as opinion editor, Cowles said.

Caldwell, 65, has worked for The Spokesman-Review nearly 32 years as a reporter, editor and business columnist.

“I’m grateful for the time I’ve had here and the people I’ve worked with and for,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been a tremendous opportunity to get to know every facet of life in Spokane, and I’ve met a lot of interesting people and gone into a lot of interesting places.”

Caldwell added he is happy to see Crooks succeed him. “It’s been a team effort the last four and a half years in every way.”

Caldwell was named editor of the editorial page in June 2011. Before that he was a business reporter for 26 years and also a business columnist for close to a decade.

Caldwell worked for newspapers in Montana before joining The Spokesman-Review in April 1984.

Crooks was hired in 1997 and joined the editorial board in 1999. In 2003, he began working exclusively for the editorial pages, writing editorials and his “Smart Bombs” column, editing letters and selecting cartoons.

“I’m excited by the opportunity” to become editor of the opinion pages, Crooks said Tuesday. “I look forward to the challenge.”