Larry Wilson, editor of the Pasadena Star-News since 1995, has been promoted to a new role as public editor of the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group, publisher of the Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News. Wilson will be responsible for editorials, opinion and new media initiatives that extend the newspapers' civic leadership from Pasadena through the San Gabriel Valley and into southern Los Angeles County. "Larry is without peer in Pasadena as a journalist and commentator, and we are fortunate to offer him another 30 cities to bring within the scope of his sharp analysis and dry wit," SGVN Executive Editor Steve O'Sullivan said Wednesday in announcing Wilson's promotion.

Wilson said he was pleased to be expanding his current role in helping create the voice of the paper in the West San Gabriel Valley to sister papers to the east and the south. "The real fun is going to be in expanding our opinion presence - both our own writing, including daily blogging, and the views of our readers and local commentators - on the Web," Wilson said. In his new role, Wilson will maintain offices at the Star-News in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley Tribune in West Covina.

Wilson, a fourth-generation Pasadenan and graduate of Blair High School, is a visiting guest lecturer at USC's Annenberg School for Communication. He earned a master's in international management from the Thunderbird School in Glendale, Ariz., and an A.

B. with honors in English from UC Berkeley. Prior to becoming editor of the Star-News, overseeing local news coverage and editorials, he was the paper's editorial page editor from 1987 to 1995.

He will take on the new role in July. Hector Gonzalez will assume part of Wilson's former responsibilities, becoming city editor of the Star-News. A veteran Southern California reporter and editor, Gonzalez currently is city editor of the Whittier Daily News.