John Paton is the CEO of Digital First Media – which operates Digital First Ventures, MediaNews Group – and 21st Century Media. The combined companies, with approximately $1.4 billion in revenues and 10,000 employees, operate more than 800 digital and online products in 18 states serving more than 61.5 million customers per month. Paton is a career news media executive who has been responsible for both print and online divisions in the US, Canada and Europe.

He is the co-founder of impreMedia, the largest news and information company for Hispanics in the United States. In April 2009, he was named Publisher of the Year by Editor & Publisher.

Paton, who has been involved in more than $4 billion in media transactions and financings involving both private and public companies, is a director of MediaNews Group; 21st Century Media; Canada’s largest newspaper company, Postmedia Network; The Guardian; El Pais; and a member of the Board of Advisors for the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism.

Paton is a graduate of Ryerson University’s journalism program and has successfully completed the Finance for Senior Executives program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration. In 2006 his alma mater, Ryerson University, honoured him with their Alumni of Distinction Award.

He lives in New York City.