PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After a distinguished 41-year career in journalism, Thomas E. Heslin, senior vice president and executive editor for The Providence Journal, will retire later this month, the newspaper announced Wednesday.
Heslin, 62, had been on an extended leave of absence for health reasons.
Heslin has worked for 32 years at The Journal, starting as a copy editor in 1981 and moving up the editorial ranks. Under his leadership, the Journal's investigative team was awarded the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for its probe of corruption in the Rhode Island state court system and was recognized as a Pulitzer Prize finalist for public service in 2004 for the newspaper's coverage of the Station nightclub fire.
Heslin helped to found the New England First Amendment Coalition and ACCESS/RI, regional and state nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving public awareness and access to the records and processes of government.
He served on the board of the national Freedom of Information Coalition, the Freedom of Information Committee of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, and as a New England coordinator for the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Sunshine Week project affiliated with open government and freedom of information issues.
He has co-chaired the national conference of Investigative Reporters and Editors and served as the president of the New England Associated Press News Executives Association. He also has served as an adjunct faculty member for leadership seminars at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and as a member of the News/Editorial Advisory Board of the American Press Institute.
This year he was inducted into the New England Journalism Hall of Fame.
Heslin was named senior vice president and executive editor in November 2008, succeeding Joel P. Rawson.
"Tom's contributions to our company have been many and significant," said Journal Publisher Howard G. Sutton. "Among them is that as a tireless defender of the First Amendment."
Heslin will retire on April 25.