YAKIMA, Wash. – Robert Bickler, publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic, has been named president and general manager of Portland Newspapers, a division of Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

Mike Shepard, publisher of the Union-Bulletin in Walla Walla, a sister paper to the Yakima Herald-Republic, will succeed Bickler.

The changes were announced Thursday by Charles C. Cochrane Jr., publisher and chief executive officer of Blethen Maine Newspapers and a former publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Bickler, 37, became the leading candidate for the Portland position after Jean Eichenbaum resigned as general manager several weeks ago to pursue other interests, Cochrane said.