Ian Russell has been appointed as chairman from 12 March 2009, while Roger Parry, Simon Waugh and Gavin Patterson are all leaving the board.
Parry, who has been on the board for 12 years, will retire on 24 April. He has been chairman for eight years.
Waugh has announced that he will be leaving the board on 30 January, he takes over as the first chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service on 1 February.
Non-executive director Patterson will not be seeking re-election at the AGM on 24 April.
Parry, who played a major part in bringing Fry to the company, said: With a new CEO in place it seems an ideal time for me to hand over to Ian to work with John Fry and the board to address the challenges ahead.
The last year has been about responding to the recession. This will be the focus in the immediate term, together with adapting the business to reflect the changing needs of consumers and advertisers.
A process is already under way with a leading search firm to find replacements for Waugh and Patterson, together with another independent non-executive director.
Fry's arrival at Johnston Press sparks boardroom shuffle
Regional publisher Johnston Press has announced a spate of boardroom changes, following John Fry's appointment as chief executive at the beginning of January.
