Joe Coates has joined the staff of The Vicksburg Post, VicksburgPost.com and Vicksburg Living magazine as director of sales and marketing.

Coates comes to Vicksburg after a 22-year career as advertising director and then publisher of The Copiah County (Hazlehurst) Courier.

“We are delighted to welcome Joe to Vicksburg. He is a marketing and advertising leader who understands how to help businesses attract new customers and he has an excellent rapport with his staff members and customers,” said Jan Griffey, general manager of Vicksburg Newsmedia LLC. “We are fortunate he is joining our team.”

Coates was born and raised in Hazlehurst and is a 1988 graduate of Copiah Academy. He is a 1992 graduate of Mississippi State University, where he earned a degree in business administration.

He and his wife, Karen, are the parents of six children and five grandchildren. Their youngest son, Grayson, is an eighth grader at Wesson Attendance Center.

The Coates are lifelong members of the Hazlehurst United Methodist Church, where he has served on numerous committees and in various roles.

“Coming to work at The Vicksburg Post is an opportunity I was eager to accept. I had a great career in Copiah County and enjoyed my time there,” Coates said. “This opportunity came at the right time for me and I look forward to getting to know business and civil leaders here and becoming a part of this community. I am looking forward to learning about Vicksburg and its culture and helping businesses here tell their stories.”

Coates has served on numerous civic boards and groups, including since 2016 the board of directors of the Mississippi Press Association.

In his spare time, he enjoys officiating high school basketball, football, baseball and softball. He has officiated high school and youth league sports for more than 20 years.

Coates will lead all sales and marketing efforts of the newspaper and its other digital and print media products.

“Joe’s background and his skills mesh well with our company and its mission. I’m confident our staff and customers will benefit from having him as part of our team,” Griffey said.