Before joining Gannett Digital as VP, business development for Gannett Digital in late 2006, Resnik, a lawyer by training, spent seven years in the legal department at AOL (NYSE: AOL). In May ‘08, Resnik was promoted to VP, strategy & business operations for the digital unit; last year, he was named VP/GM of the Gannett Digital Media Network, which encompasses USAToday.com, MomsLikeMe.com, Metromix.com, and HighSchoolSports.net, as well as all of Gannett’s local newspaper and television station web sites.

Resnik is well-liked within the Gannett Digital realm and is considered a sensible choice, though some have noted that he doesn’t have experience running an independent business. Gannett has been using executive search firm CT Partners, but they hadn’t been able to find any candidates that the company felt were suitable. In any case, if Resnik’s promotion gets final approval, Gannett’s board is likely to be pleased that this issue is over with as the company prepares to report its Q2 earnings a week from this Friday.

One holdup in making the decision had to do with the process of integrating two of its more successful digital holdings, rich media provider PointRoll and social media marketing unit Ripple6.

Other activities occupying the digital division’s time and resources lately include the establishment of the GannettLocal program, a social media marketing effort aimed at striking relationships with small advertisers. The initiative got off the ground in Phoenix two months ago. Gannett is also still working on devising some sort of subscription model for its successful USAToday iPad app.