Newspaper roots help marketing man

By Chloe Gregg
Associate Editor

The Lookout has been LCC’s student newspaper ever since 1959. Many students have come and gone from The Lookout office. Only a few return to LCC to work.

David Barker, LCC’s current marketing manager, is one of those select few.

Barker was a staff member at The Lookout from 2007 to 2009. During those two years, he held the positions of news editor, sports editor and associate editor.

While he worked at The Lookout, Barker attended LCC and earned an associate degree in creating writing. He then transferred to Michigan State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in professional writing.

“I use many of the technical skills I gained at The Lookout every day,” Barker said. “That includes AP Style, the reverse pyramid, design, copy editing, copywriting, fact checking (and more). Additionally, I also use some of the problem-solving and information-parsing skills I picked up there.”

Barker said one of his favorite memories from working at The Lookout was enjoying time with his colleagues and getting free food every other Friday.

“Also, I hated it at the time, but Larry saying ‘ding, ding, ding, fatal error,’” Barker said. “For whatever reason, I am remembering that fondly.”

In return, Larry Hook, the adviser of The Lookout, remembers Barker fondly.

“David was an excellent, reliable employee when he worked at The Lookout,” Hook said. “He took his job very seriously and was highly respected by all of his co-workers.”

Bruce Mackley, the marketing director at LCC and supervisor of Barker, said he has worked together with Barker for the past six years.

“David’s position of marketing manager within the LCC Marketing Department requires a considerable amount of industry knowledge, effective time management and people skills … all of which he has in abundance,” Mackley said. “His intuitive thinking and problem-solving abilities have propelled the department, cultivating extraordinary degrees of mutual respect and team chemistry.”

Currently, Barker is in the first semester of working toward his master’s degree. He and his wife Sarah have three kids, two of whom are under age 3.

“I use my spare time to sleep or do literally nothing,” Barker joked. “It’s fantastic.”