Missouri Press Association elects 2015 president
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 30, 2014
Contact:
Doug Crews, Executive Director
Missouri Press Association
(573) 449-4167
dcrews@socket.net
Missouri Press Association elects 2015 president
Managing editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune to succeed Richard Gard
Jim Robertson, a native of Wyaconda in northeast Missouri, is managing editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune. A graduate of the MU School of Journalism, Robertson has worked in community newspapers since 1977. After working as a reporter and editor at the Chariton Courier in Keytesville and the Kingdom Daily News in Fulton, he joined the staff of the Columbia Daily Tribune in 1981 and became managing editor in 1987.
Under his leadership, the Tribune has won numerous awards for news, photography and commentary. He has served in leadership positions on the boards of Missouri Associated Press Managing Editors, the Missouri Society of Newspaper Editors and the Missouri Sunshine Coalition. He also serves on the Missouri Governor’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
Robertson’s community activities include former board leadership roles for Job Point, a job training and employment agency, and on Columbia’s New Century Fund. He was a founding member of the Mid-Missouri Community Foundation board of directors.
He and his wife, Debbie, a family nurse practitioner, have two daughters, Jaime Dodson, a nurse, and Cody Higgins, a speech pathologist.
Robertson, elected Sept. 26 will succeed Richard Gard, St. Louis Daily Record, Missouri Lawyers Media, as president of the Missouri Press Association Jan. 1.
Gard will continue on the MPA board of directors through 2015 as immediate past president.
Other 2015 MPA officers and directors elected Sept. 26 are: First Vice President Dennis Warden, Owensville Gasconade County Republican; Second Vice President Bill Miller, Jr., Washington Missourian; Secretary Jacob Brower, Monett Times and Cassville Democrat; Treasurer Paul Berry, Springfield News-Leader.
Directors for three-year terms: Dennis Ellsworth, St. Joseph News-Press; and Donna Bischoff, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Director for two-year term: Jack Miles, Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal (filling two-year term of Bill Miller, Jr.)
Tianna Brooks, Mountain View Standard News, is the MPA’s National Newspaper Association state chair.
Continuing on the MPA board in 2015 will be directors Carol Stark, The Joplin Globe; Joe Spaar, Odessa Odessan; Trevor Vernon, Eldon Advertiser; James Mahlon White, Warsaw Benton County Enterprise; and Jeff Schrag, Springfield Daily Events.
Brad Gentry of the Houston Herald and Darryl Wilkinson of the Gallatin North Missourian are retiring from the MPA board at the end of December.
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PHOTO of Jim Robertson is attached
