TOPEKA ? The president and publisher of The Topeka Capital-Journal has accepted a job with WEHCO Media in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Zach Ahrens will be general manager of Central Missouri Newspapers Inc., which publishes the Jefferson City News Tribune, Fulton Sun, California Democrat and HER Magazine. He will also oversee the company’s commercial printing division and Flypaper, a digital marketing firm.

Those media outlets are owned by WEHCO Media, a privately owned communications company that operates daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and cable television companies in six states.

Ahrens announced his decision to Capital-Journal employees on Tuesday and introduced himself to Jefferson City employees Wednesday.

Grady Singletary, regional vice president for GateHouse Media, said a search for the newspaper’s next publisher would begin soon.