The monthly newspaper launched with a distribution of just 5,000 covering the South Gwinnett area and today distributes more than 60,000 copies countywide as the Gwinnett Citizen and offers a robust online platform that has global reach. Bagheri has been an innovative force through the years helping the publication move from the cut and paste stage to the electronic age. Bagheri shares, “It’s been amazing to watch this industry grow and change through the years. I remember when we bought our first computers in the mid 1990s. We’ve gone from ledgers to an online accounting system, from home delivery to direct mail – from tear sheets to new aggregators, from online news to tweets. It’s a whole different world from whence we started, the way of doing business has changed.”
Even with the modernization of the trade, Bagheri has always stayed true to their core mission – to share community news of Gwinnett. The Citizen has always worked to be a community newspaper in every sense of the word. Her daughter Auveed tells, “Mom has always had a gift of being able to capture the stories behind the stories. She sought out real stories about real people that were making a real difference in our community.” Bagheri was known to be masterful at penning great articles about unsung heroes that were otherwise overlooked by mainstream media and connecting people.
As the Gwinnett Citizen makes plans for its 30th anniversary this fall, Bagheri felt the time had come for her to retire and make way for the next generation. She says, “Its been a great journey, and I’m looking forward to having more time to enjoy other passions. My husband retired 18 years ago and has patiently waited for me to join him. We’re looking forward to traveling more, writing some new stories of our own, and devoting more time to another passion of mine, genealogy.”
Auveed says, “I have been blessed to work so closely with my Mom for all of these years. Her shoes are going to be big shoes to fill, but she deserves this and I am happy for her. We would not be where we are today without her dedication, insight, leadership, and passion. Though she won’t be coming into the office every day, her spirit will be embedded on every page. I have no doubt she will continue to push us to new heights and cheer us on every step of the way.” The Gwinnett Citizen looks forward to officially commemorating Carolyn’s retirement later in the year as part of their 30th anniversary celebration.
