ProPublica announced today that CEO and editor-in-chief Paul Steiger will become its executive chairman effective January 1, 2013.  Succeeding Steiger as editor-in-chief will be Stephen Engelberg, our current managing editor.  Richard Tofel, who is ProPublica’s general manager, will become president, and both Tofel and Engelberg will serve as co-chief executive officers.

In a press release announcing the changes, ProPublica Chairman Herbert Sandler said, “ProPublica became a reality because of the vision and leadership of Paul Steiger.  The Board is thrilled that Paul will continue to help guide ProPublica as an active executive chairman beginning in 2013 and for what we hope will be many years to come.  On Paul’s strong recommendation, the Board is placing the day-to-day management of ProPublica in the hands of Dick Tofel and Steve Engelberg, two talented managers who have been with ProPublica from the beginning and have already contributed enormously to its success.  We are very excited about what lies ahead.”

Steiger, who before founding ProPublica was the managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, will remain actively involved in working with ProPublica on strategic issues, development and consulting with management on business and editorial issues.  Under his leadership, we’ve won two Pulitzer Prizes, including the first ever awarded to a body of work that did not appear in print.

“I know that Steve Engelberg’s editorial mastery and Dick Tofel’s business acumen are just the combination to build on ProPublica’s early successes and create a sustainable institution critical to American journalism’s future,” said Steiger.