Below are staff profiles of the people who report, write and edit The Manhattan Mercury.

Walt Braun
Editorial Page Editor

At The Mercury: since April 1990. Editorial page editor since 1994; news editor 1990-1994.
Previous Experience: Copy editor at Charlotte (N.C.) Observer, 1988-90; city editor at Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald, 1985-88, and as a reporter at Kingsport (Tenn.) Times-News; Bristol (Tenn.-Va.) Herald-Courier, 1983-85; and Emporia (Kan.) Gazette, 1979-1983.
Education: University of Kansas, off and on 1970-1979; Campion Jesuit High School (it's now a prison!) in Prairie du Chien, Wis.
Personal: Born June 11, 1952. Married since 1977 to Maggie, a special ed teacher; two sons, Connor, born Jan. 28, 1987, and Preston, born Nov. 10, 1988. One golden retriever, Ralph, who likes his Kleenex one at a time right out of the box.
Hobbies: Gardening, planning trips, golf, sort of, and helping the boys in whatever their seasonal activity is.
How to contact me: Call 776-2300 ext. 252 or e-mail: wbraun@themercury.com.

Mike Dendurent
Wire Editor 

At The Mercury: Since April, 1981.
Previous experience: Reporter and editor at Grit, Williamsport, Pa., 1973-1976. Managing editor at the Wamego (Kan.) Times, 1976-1980.
Education: Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from Kansas State University, 1973 (editor of the Kansas State Collegian, fall 1972). Wamego High School, 1969.
Personal: Born March 12, 1951. Married to Joyce (McLaughlin) Dendurent, nurse. Daughter, Mandy, born April 23, 1988. Son, Jeff, born Sept. 25, 1991. 
Hobbies: Walking, record collecting, jazz aficionado.
How to contact me: Phone (785) 776-2300, ext. 241. E-mail mdendurent@themercury.com. 

Bill Felber
Executive Editor

At The Mercury: Since September, 1969. Started as a part-time sports and news reporter; full-time reporter in January 1972; news editor in 1973; executive editor since 1986.
Previous experience: The Harvey (Ill.) Tribune, 1967-69, part-time sports and news reporter.
Education: B.A. in Journalism, Kansas State University, 1971; I completed 24 hours of graduate work toward a degree in history in the early 1980s.
Personal: Married since 1973 (Linda) with one son (Frank, born May, 1998). I am also a former member of the board of directors and treasurer of APME, a national organization of newspaper editors. I am an 11-handicap golfer (I was a 9-handicap before the kid was born), and am the author of five books: 125 Years of Professional Baseball (1994), The Horse in War (2001), The Book on The Book (2005). (released in paperback in 2006), A Game of Brawl (2008) and Under Pallor, Under Shadow (spring 2011). Three-time Kansas Press Association columnist of the year (2002, 2005, 2009). .
How to contact me: Call 776-2300 ext. 240 or e-mail: felber@themercury.com. 

Javier Gonzalez
News Editor

At the Mercury: News editor since April 2009.
Previous experience: Copy editor for SportsDay at The Dallas Morning News May 1998-October 2008. Copy editor for The Tennessean in Nashville February 1994-May 1998.
Education: BA in Journalism 1993 University of Houston
Personal: Born March 15, 1971 in Laredo, Texas. Youngest of eight children of Carmen and Hortencia Gonzalez. I grew up in Houston. Married to Sylvia Gonzalez, who is a nurse, in 2003. We have four wonderful children.
Hobbies: Besides spending time with my wife and kids, I enjoy reading, traveling, listening to Jimmy Buffett music and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Cougars.
How to contact me: (785) 776-2300 ext 242, or jgonzalez@themercury.com

Joel Jellison
Sports Writer

At the Mercury : Sports Writer since May 2007, full-time since May 2009 — beat writer covering Manhattan High School, while also assisting in coverage of Kansas State sports.
Previous experience : Sports editor, Kansas State Collegian, Spring 2008; Sports writer, Kansas State Collegian, Fall 2007; Sports and video production, Royal Purple Yearbook, 2008-09 school year; Part-time sports writer; Dodge City (Kan.) Daily Globe, Sept. 2003- May 2007.
Education : Kansas State from 2007-09, Electronic Journalism; Dodge City Community College from 2005-07, Broadcast Journalism. Graduated from Dodge City High School in 2005.
Personal : Born April 7, 1987. Lived in several Kansas cities, including Pratt, Hutchinson, Wichita and Topeka. Grew up in Dodge City.
Hobbies : I enjoy watching and playing sports, being outside, collecting sports memorabilia and watching movies.
How to contact me : (785) 776-2300 ext. 245, or e-mail me at jjellison@themercury.com . You can also follow me on Twitter @joelj15.

Joshua Kinder
Sports Editor

At the Mercury : Sports editor since January 2007 — beat writer for Kansas State football and women's basketball and co-beat writer for men's basketball, while also assisting in high school coverage. Also serves as lead designer for sports, including all special sections.
Previous experience : Sports writer, The Lawton (Okla.) Constitution, Aug. 2006-Dec. 2006; Sports writer, Dodge City (Kan.) Daily Globe, June 2004-Aug. 2006; Part-time sports writer, The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, April 2000-March 2003; Managing editor, Kansas State Collegian, summer 2003; Sports editor, Kansas State Collegian, fall 1999.
Education : Kansas State from 1998-04, Social Science, with an emphasis in Criminology. Graduated from Dodge City High School in 1998.
Personal : Born Oct. 3, 1979. An only child, grew up in Wichita, Garden City (Kan.) and Dodge City, and the son an college art instructor and a high school journalism teacher.
Hobbies : Besides catching as many sports events as possible, also enjoys working out, camping, traveling, golf, photography, fantasy baseball, country music and collecting rare sports memorabilia.
How to contact me : (785) 776-2300 ext. 244, or e-mail me at jkinder@themercury.com . You can also follow me on Twitter @Sports_Scribe.

At the Mercury: City reporter and editor for the business and religion pages since August 2010

Previous Experience: I was a contributing writer for Suite101.com Internet magazine for several months in 2010. I was the higher education reporter for the Columbia Missourian in Columbia, Missouri for the first half of 2008. Before that I worked at the Mizzou student newspaper The Maneater as an arts and entertainment writer from August 2007 to January 2008. I was also an arts and entertainment writer for the Mizzou student magazine MOVE from August 2007 to January 2008.

Education: BJ in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri in 2009. Crystal Lake Central High School 2005.

Personal: Born March 28, 1987 in Barrington, Illinois. I lived in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a northwestern suburb of Chicago, my entire life before going to Mizzou for college. My mom works for Aptar Group, a company that manufactures and distributes spray pumps. My dad works for Arlington race track, a division of Churchill Downs race track. I have a 22-year-old brother who graduated from the University of Iowa with a BS in chemical engineering in May 2010.

Hobbies: I'm a pop culture junky. I love movies, music, TV and video games. I love playing and watching baseball, football and hockey. I read anything I can, including: novels, magazines, essays and even comic books.

How To Contact Me: Call (785)776.2300 ext. 249 or email me at bkrohe@themercury.com. You can also check out my wordpress blog about music, movies and anything I have an opinion on at www.burkpkrohe.wordpress.com

Cole Manbeck
Sports Writer

At the Mercury : Sports writer since July 2009 — beat writer for Kansas State men's basketball and co-beat writer for football, while also covering some baseball and women's basketball, as well as assisting in high school coverage.
Previous experience : Sports correspondent, The Topeka (Kan.) Capital Journal, Dec. 2008-May 2009; Sports writer, Kansas State Collegian, Feb. 2007-May 2008.
Education : Kansas State from 2005-09, Print Journalism, with an outside concentration in Sociology. Graduated from Rossville (Kan.) High School in 2005.
Personal : Born Sept. 6, 1986. Spent my whole life in Rossville. I have an older brother who is 26 and works for Pepsi here in Manhattan. My parents have been married for 30 years now. My mom is a vocal music teacher at St. Marys High School, while my dad works at Jeffrey Energy Center.
Hobbies : I love sports. It's my life. If there's a game on, I'm probably turned in or I'm there. Sadly, I grew up a diehard Kansas City Royals fan and I still am today. I love to play sports, mainly football, basketball, golf and baseball. I also enjoy camping, boating and most music — besides country — among many other things.
How to contact me : (785) 776-2300 ext. 245, or e-mail me at cmanbeck@themercury.com . You can also follow me on Twitter @C_Manbeck.

Rod Mikinski
Staff Photographer 

At The Mercury: since 1979.
Previous experience: 1975-1977 Opalousa Daily World (LA) 1977-1979 Casa Grande Dispatch (AZ).
Education: University of Kansas, bachelor of science 1975.
To reach me: Call (785)776-2300 ext. 253 or e-mail: news@themercury.com.

Edward Seaton
Editor in Chief

At The Mercury: Since June, 1969.
Previous experience: Reporter and copy editor The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., 1968-1969. Served as president, American Society of Newspaper Editors (1998-99) and Inter American Press Association (1989-1990).
Education: Bachelor's degree in government from Harvard University, 1965. Graduate studies Universidad Central, Quito, Ecuador (1965-66, Fulbright scholar); University of Missouri School of Journalism (1966-67).
Personal: Born Feb. 5, 1943. Married to Karen (Mathisen) Seaton, housewife and former college Spanish teacher. Two sons, Ned and Jay. Hobbies: Tennis, reading, cooking, Latin America.
How to contact me: Phone (785) 776-2300. E-mail eseaton@themercury.com. 

Ned Seaton
General Manager

At The Mercury: Since July, 1996. Previously served as the news editor through October, 1999.
Previous experience: Reporter at the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, 1993-1996. Newsman at the Kansas City bureau of the Associated Press, 1992-1993. Reporter at the Orange County (Calif.) Register, 1990-1992.
Education: Bachelor's degree in social studies from Harvard University, 1990. Manhattan High School, 1986.
Personal: Born Dec. 13, 1967. Married to Jacqi (Lambert) Seaton, a Manhattan family physician. Three children: Jake Hannah and Brett.
Hobbies: Tennis, softball, reading.
How to contact me: Phone (785) 776-2300, ext. 255. E-mail nseaton@themercury.com.