The Arizona Republic has a new publisher. The state's biggest paper has named Mi-Ai Parrish to the job.

Parrish has spent years in the newspaper business, including the last four as publisher of the Kansas City Star. Before that, she was at the helm of the Idaho Statesman in Boise. The 44-year-old also worked at papers in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Chicago. She was an editor at the Republic from 1999 to 2001.

She replaces John Zidich, who was promoted to president of domestic publishing for Gannett Company.