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NEWPORT – Nick Tucker, 44, is the latest addition to staff at The Miner Newspapers, becoming an advertising sales representative in May. The Miner Newspapers produces The Newport Miner and The Gem State Miner weekly, as well as a host of other publications throughout the year.
Tucker, a 1998 Newport High School graduate, has a number of skills and interests.
He came to The Miner from a job as head mechanic at the West Bonner County School District, where he also coached soccer. Tucker has been coaching youth soccer since 2007 and served as president of the Pend Oreille Youth Sports Association, now known as Pend Oreille Sports Association.
He has an associate’s degree as an auto technician from Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix. He worked at a number of places as a mechanic, including Taylor Parker Motors and Camp Chevrolet in Spokane.
Tucker moved to sales in the early 2000s, first working as a salesman in Seattle. He then worked on the east coast for two years. He came back to Newport in 2007 to manage Oldtown Hardware, which his mother, Dianne Mooney (Poirier) owned. After his mother sold the business and retired, Tucker worked for Sherwin-Williams for the next six years, covering Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Tucker has four children, aged 20, 14, 12 and 10. He decided that he needed to be home more often for them.
“I needed to get off the road,” he said. “I was missing time with my kids.”
He taught at Deer Park’s Homelink program in 2022, teaching 15 different classes. He went to work at the West Bonner School District about a year ago and then joined The Miner.
“I’m enjoying it here,” he said.
His arrival comes at a good time for The Miner, as longtime advertising representative Cindy Boober is retiring in August.
“We could not be happier with Nick. He brings a wealth of experience in sales and is also a lifelong newspaper reader. He loves this community and is doing a great job supporting our local businesses,” said Michelle Nedved, owner and publisher of The Miner. “We will miss Cindy beyond words. She’s helping train Nick for the transition.”
In addition to being a certified mechanic, traveling salesman and veteran coach, Tucker also sings.
In high school, he was with Northwoods Performing Arts, appearing in several productions.
Most recently he sang the Canadian and U.S. national anthems at The Newport Rodeo, where he is also on the rodeo committee. He will sing the national anthem for the Spokane Velocity, the men’s professional soccer team. He has also sang the national anthem for the Spokane Indians in May and is scheduled to sing for The Indians again in August.
