HOUSTON (AP) - Veteran investigations editor Steve Riley has been appointed the new executive editor of the Houston Chronicle.

New York-based Hearst Communications announced Riley's appointment Thursday, saying his appointment came after an exhaustive nationwide search.

Riley has led several award-winning investigations and projects since joining the Chronicle in November 2017 after spending more than 30 years at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Chronicle reports that over his career, his investigative teams have won more than a dozen national awards.

He had been interim editor since Oct. 30 after former executive editor Nancy Barnes resigned to become the senior vice president for news at National Public Radio.

Other Hearst newspapers in Texas are the San Antonio Express-News, Beaumont Enterprise, Midland Reporter-Telegram, Laredo Morning Times and Plainview Daily Herald.

Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com

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