The Minnesota Star Tribune's top editor, Suki Dardarian, is retiring in February after more than a decade at the news organization and 43 years in journalism.

During her tenure, the Star Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize and was named a finalist for the prestigious award multiple times for work that served Minnesotans and prompted changes to state law.

Dardarian, 68, announced her impending departure Wednesday morning in a note to her staff.

"After a decade leading and helping transform one of the best newsrooms in the country, I'm ready to transform myself," she wrote. "I'm humbled to close out my work at a place that is such a treasure in the community and this industry."

The company will immediately begin its search for her replacement.

Her retirement comes at the tail end of a major restructuring at Minnesota's largest news organization, which included the launch of a new name, website, digital initiatives and a statewide expansion of its reporting efforts. It now will be up to the next newsroom leader to meet the company's aggressive goals for growing its digital audience.

"There's no bigger hire a publisher makes than the editor, and we'll be looking for a truly great leader to fill that spot," Publisher and CEO Steve Grove said in an interview. "Suki is so committed to doing the right thing. She has a tremendous backbone and north star, and she'll be missed."

Dardarian's time at the Minnesota Star Tribune, which started in 2014, was the capstone of a long career dedicated to the First Amendment.

"I'm exceedingly proud of the work I've been able to do to help open government and particularly the courts," she said in an interview, "and the pressure that we have put on public institutions to provide information to journalists and to the public. There is much more to be done there, but I'm proud to have been part of a team that did that."

A University of Washington graduate, Dardarian worked for the Everett Herald and Tacoma News Tribune, where she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting. She later led Pulitzer-winning teams at the Seattle Times.

Dardarian interviewed at the Star Tribune during the polar vortex of 2014 amid an impending ownership change and headquarters relocation. She joined the company as managing editor just after Glen Taylor bought the Star Tribune. She previously held that role for many years at the Seattle Times. Her husband, Peter Callaghan, is a reporter for MinnPost.

Taylor's investment in the Star Tribune has helped moderate the effects of declining circulation and ad revenue — pressures that have caused deep cuts at many legacy media outlets across the country. The Star Tribune boasts one of the largest newsrooms in the Midwest, with a staff of about 230.

Dardarian was named the Star Tribune's editor and senior vice president in 2022, replacing Rene Sanchez.

"The Minnesota Star Tribune is stronger because of Suki's leadership," Christine Fruechte, the company's board chair, said in a statement. "We wouldn't be where we are today without her passion, leadership and integrity and look forward to building on the incredible foundation she helped to build."

Dardarian said her retirement has been in the works for months.

"We did this amazing work in 2024, and we've built a plan for 2025 that's just getting going," she said. "As much as any time can be right, it feels right."

In her note to the staff, Dardarian wrote she is "still in awe of the talent and passion here: writers, designers, photographers, editors, producers — all driven to push themselves further with each story."

"This newsroom's journalistic ethic has made life better for the elderly, for children, for people with disabilities and mental illness, for prisoners, for accident victims, for rape victims."

Her last day will be Feb. 3. Following her departure, managing editors Eric Wieffering and Maria Reeve will co-lead the newsroom. Dardarian will remain in an advisory role to the company until a new editor is hired.

The next newsroom leader, Grove said, will need to follow Dardarian's example and be a "change agent."

"We'll be searching within the state and across the country for someone who eats, sleeps and breathes journalism," he said. "It's a big moment for us as a company."