Missouri Press Association
Serving Missouri Newspapers Since 1867
Each year, Missouri Press members volunteer their time and expertise in service to the Association’s leadership, helping to guide the trade group in representing the interests of more than 200 member publications.
Directors to the MPA Board are elected each year during the business meeting held as part of the Association’s annual convention and trade show. Nominations to serve on the board are accepted until July 1 and are then reviewed by a nominating committee for consideration by MPA’s voting members.
MPA’s newly elected directors this year are Treasurer Jaime Mowers, editor-in-chief and part owner of the Webster-Kirkwood Times; and Secretary Donna Bischoff, senior director of sales for several publications in the BridgeTower Media network and based in St. Louis.
Jaime Mowers always loved to write, but it wasn’t until her junior year at Missouri State University in Springfield that she was introduced to newspapers by way of the campus publication, The Standard.
“At the urging of my academic advisor, I became involved,” Mowers said. “As soon as I started writing for The Standard, I knew I wanted a career in newspapers. After a year of being on the writing staff, I became features editor during my senior year of college.”
Also, during Mowers’ senior year at MSU, she landed an internship in the features department at the Springfield News-Leader.
“That sealed the deal indefinitely,” Mowers said. “I knew I had to be in newspapers.”
While later working at the News-Leader, Mowers met Amos Bridges, now editor-in-chief of that newspaper and immediate past president of Missouri Press Association, who recruited her for the MPA Board.
“When Amos Bridges asks you to do something, you pretty much have to do it,” Mowers said, only half joking, as she recalled the positive effect working with Bridges had on the trajectory of her career.
“I had the privilege of being mentored by Amos when I was a reporter at the News-Leader, and I could not be more grateful for having that opportunity. Amos helped shape who I wanted to be — and who I became — as a reporter,” she said.
Mowers returned to the St. Louis area, joining the staff of the Webster-Kirkwood Times in 2011. Serving on the MPA Board, Mowers hopes to pay forward what she learned from others in the industry, Bridges included, and expand her own working knowledge of how the industry is changing, while bringing a unique perspective as co-owner of the Times.
Mowers, along with two co-workers, Kent Tentschert and Randy Drilingas, and with the financial backing of a fourth partner, purchased the Times from previous ownership in September 2020, following a lengthy shutdown in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She says keeping print newspapers alive and relevant in an increasingly digital world is the industry’s greatest challenge, as is the need to adopt more hyper local journalism and keep small publications operating.
“I’ve always said everyone has a story and it’s our job to tell it,” Mowers said. “My favorite part about journalism is telling those stories, keeping people informed and being part of the communities we serve.”
Having a printed newspaper, though, provides a visceral connection to the journalism being published that a digital outlet can’t match. “I love when our paper gets back from the printing press each week because I will never tire of holding a printed newspaper in my hands,” she said.
For Mowers, though, her time outside of the newspaper complements her profession. She enjoys endurance sports, with her favorite being the triathlon, and it seems apropos that competing physically and publishing a newspaper both require the participant to bide their time and expend resources only when necessary for the greatest gain.
When it comes time to unwind, Mowers can rely on her husband and three Pomeranians to give her respite. If you meet her at an MPA event, feel free to ask her about Teddy, Mr. Puffers and Bear-Bear, (or her husband Travis, if you want).
“And if you ever need to know where I’m parked, just look for the Mini convertible that says, ‘Pom Mom’ on the back,” Mowers added.
