MPA board nominations due by July 1

The Missouri Press Association nominating committee will meet during the summer to decide on candidates for 2027 MPA Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and four Directors.

Current board members Allen Edmonds, The North Cass Herald, and Dawn Suggs, St. Louis American, are serving one-year terms as secretary and National Newspaper Association Chair, respectively. This is their first term on the board, expiring Dec. 31, 2026.

Hannah Spaar, The Odessan, Odessa, is currently serving a one-year term as treasurer, expiring Dec. 31, 2026.

In addition to officer positions, director spots include a one-year term for Ken Garner’s open seat after his resignation from the board earlier this year, as well as an open seat previously held by Sandy Nelson vacated last year and which would have been up for re-election this year.

A three-year term for current board director Kimberly Combs, Paxton Media Group, will also expire Dec. 31, 2026.

As current board members fill positions of leadership on the board, and accounting for the open director’s seat, a fourth director position will be left vacant by the election of an existing board member to Second Vice President.

Candidates who wish to be considered for any of the positions, including those currently serving members with expiring terms, must submit a nomination form by July 1.

A nomination form is available online at bit.ly/MoPressBoard or by contacting members of Missouri Press staff.

Peggy Scott, Leader Publications, Festus, immediate past president of MPA, is chairman of the nominating committee this year. Elections will be held during the MPA Business Meeting on Friday, Sept. 25, in Columbia during MPA’s 160th Annual Convention and Trade Show.

If you have any questions about the nomination process, please contact MPA Executive Director Chad Stebbins at 573-449-4167, ext. 308, or at cstebbins@mopress.com.