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TPA NEWS

Oppmann named Leaf Chronicle publisher (9/4/08)

Robert W. Hale, newspaper owner, dies

James M. Hawkins, former co-publisher of Lewisburg papers, dies

Leaf Chronicle publisher Gene Washer retires Aug. 29 (8/28/08)

2008 State Press Contests Awards presented (7/21/08)

Griscom is new president, other officers elected (7/2/08)

Oppmann named publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle
(9/4/08) Andrew Oppmann, president and publisher of The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, is now also president and publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville. Oppmann succeeds Gene Washer, who retired as publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle on Aug. 29.

Oppmann is used to dual roles. When he moved to Tennessee to become president and publisher of The Daily News Journal in 2007, he also was named vice president of audience management for The Tennessean. He is leaving his Tennessean position to accept The Leaf-Chronicle duties.

Oppmann has ties to the Clarksville area. He plans to continue to reside in Murfreesboro.

More information can be found at www.theleafchronicle.com.

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Robert Walter Hale
(July 16, 1929 - August 31, 2008)
By Sandy Dodson, The Bledsonian-Banner, Sept. 4, 2008

A newspaper chronicles the life and times of a community, and this week, the life of one of its members who worked for 46 years to keep those chronicles passed away.

Robert W. Hale, owner and publisher of The Bledsonian-Banner, The Dunlap Tribune and the Sequatchie Valley Shopper died in a Chattanooga hospital Sunday, August 31, at the age of 79.

He was born in Bledsoe County to Herman and Marie Hale, one of five children. Robert graduated from Bledsoe County High School in 1949, went to work for a newspaper in Sparta before returning to Bledsoe County and begin working for Arthur Meyer. Robert was intelligent and a man of few words, but when he spoke people listened.

He loved the Sequatchie Valley and its people and was actively involved in the community in his younger years. His activities included the Lions Club, Pikeville Volunteer Fire Department, archery club, Chamber of Commerce and other organizations.

His first love, though, was his wife of 48 years, Amy Sue Dodson Hale. He was working for the newspaper when he met Amy, and together they bought the newspapers from Meyer on July 1, 1962, two years after being married.

Robert operated the businesses and Amy continued to work in a local shirt factory, while helping Robert put the papers out weekly. She eventually left the shirt factory and worked alongside him. He retired as publisher in 1993, but continued to oversee many of the daily operations with Amy until his death.

Today, Amy continues as publisher and owner of the papers – The Dunlap Tribune now in its 119th year and The Bledsonian-Banner in its 117th year. The Hale’s have been the longest running owners of the newspapers and the first local owners.

During their 46 years of operating the newspapers, they have seen many changes from hot lead type and the Linotype machine Robert first operated to the age of computers. The Hale’s were one of the last newspapers in the state to use a flatbed hot type press and among the first in small rural newspapers to begin using Apple computers.

Countless hours have been spent by Robert and Amy in preparing the newspapers for publication. They and their employees have worked gathering news and advertising, writing and composing the newspapers to bring the communities they love news and current events. Throughout the years, the Hales have had good, loyal employees, many working for them for over 25 years.

“It takes each employee working together to offer a quality newspaper and that is what we have always strived to do,” said Amy Hale.

Robert’s wisdom, knowledge and dedication will be missed, but the legacy of his newspapers will continue.
—30—

The family request memorial contributions be made to First Southern Baptist Building Fund, P O Box 338 Pikeville or Pikeville United Methodist Church, P O Box 233 Pikeville.

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James M. Hawkins

Mr. James M. Hawkins, age 91, of Lewisburg, TN, died Sat., Aug. 30, 2008, at NHC Oakwood following an extended illness. A native of Marshall Co., Mr. Hawkins was a son of the late Thomas Hale Hawkins, Sr. and Margaret Rozell Haggard Hawkins. He was retired as a co-owner of the Lewisburg Tribune, Marshall Gazette and Lewisburg Printing. Mr. Hawkins was a veteran of World War II having
served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg, TN.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a step-son, Victor Evan Coxon; a sister, Evelyn (T.O.) Harris and a brother,
Thomas Hale Hawkins, Jr. Survived by his wife, June Harris Hawkins of
Lewisburg, TN; a daughter, Pamela Coxon (Allan) Patterson of Columbia, TN; a sister, Marie (Buddy) Musgrave of the Farmington community of Marshall Co.; sister-in-law, Mrs. Tommy Hale Hawkins, Jr., (Carolyn), Lewisburg, TN; several nieces and nephews.

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Leaf Chronicle publisher Gene Washer retires Aug. 29
(8/28/08) F. Gene Washer, publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, announced on Wednesday that he will retire on Friday, August 29, after 45 years in the newspaper business. He has been publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle since 1991.

Washer has served TPA in numerous capacities including serving as president twice—in 1994-95 and again in 2000-01.

Read The Leaf-Chronicle's story online at www.TheLeafChronicle.com

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2008 UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards Presented July 18

Photo credit: Elenora E. Edwards, The Tennessee Press
Representing the winners of General Excellence are: Mark Stevens, The Erwin Record; Bill Wellborn, Memphis Business Journal; Patricia Zechman, Southern Standard, McMinnville; Richard Stevens, The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville; and Mark Silverman, The Tennessean, Nashville

(7/21/08) Winners of the 2008 UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards were announced at a luncheon on Friday, July 18 at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville.

A change in the contests for 2008 added a fifth division for competition and divisions were based upon total weekly paid circulation instead of daily or non-daily status. This change caused dailies and non-dailies to compete against each other, which occurred primarily in Group Three.

The 2008 divisions were: Group I—Combined weekly circulation of 5,000 or less; Group II—Combined weekly circulation of 5,001-15,000; Group III—Combined weekly circulation of 15,001-50,000; Group IV—Combined weekly circulation of 50,001-200,000; and Group V—Combined weekly circulation of 200,001 and above.

The winners of the 2008 General Excellence Awards, based on total points earned in the Contests, were: The Erwin Record, Group I; Memphis Business Journal, Group II; Southern Standard, McMinnville, Group III; The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Group IV; and The Tennessean, Nashville, Group V.

The 2008 General Excellence Award represents the sixth consecutive top award for The Erwin Record. Both the Southern Standard and The Tennessean have received seven General Excellence awards out of the 10 since the points-based award was established in 1999.

Slideshow of Winners in PDF format (5 meg file)

Winners List 2008 Press Release 2008 Contests Entrants 2008

Winners' Logo General Excellence 1999-08 and winners lists 2000-08

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Chattanooga publisher, Griscom, becomes TPA president
(7/2/08) Tom Griscom, publisher and executive editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, is the new president of the Tennessee Press Association (TPA).
TPA is the trade association of the state's daily and non-daily newspapers. It is composed of 27 daily newspapers and 101 non-daily newspapers.

Griscom succeeds Pauline D. Sherrer, publisher of the Crossville Chronicle.
Griscom said during his presidency he would like to remind the members of why they actually got into the business. “I hope to bring a different focus for our members to realize why we do what we do and why it’s important to our readers,” he said. “I want to remind our members about the vitality of the TPA and our value in a changing media world.”

“Tom is a great ambassador for our industry in Chattanooga and throughout the state,” said Jason Taylor, president of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “ I’m confident that he will work hard to continue the success of the press association. “

“I’m blessed to have Tom on my team. He has built a strong newsroom and I’m sure he will work just as hard for the needs of all of the newspapers across Tennessee,” Taylor said.

Other officers elected at TPA's 139th Anniversary Summer Convention June 18-20 in Johnson City were Art Powers, publisher of the Johnson City Press, elected vice president for daily newspapers; Victor Parkins, editor of The Milan Mirror-Exchange, re-elected vice president for non-daily newspapers; and Bill Williams, editor emeritus of The Paris Post-Intelligencer, re-elected treasurer.

Directors elected for two-year terms are Jack McElroy, editor of the News Sentinel, Knoxville, director of District 2; Mike DeLapp, publisher of the Herald-Citizen, Cookeville, director of District 4; Ellen Leifeld, publisher of The Tennessean, Nashville, re-elected director of District 6; Brad Franklin, marketing director of The Lexington Progress, re-elected director of District 8; and Eric Barnes, publisher of The Daily News, Memphis, re-elected director of District 10. Pauline Sherrer will serve for one year as director at large.
Lynn Richardson, publisher of the Herald and Tribune, Jonesborough, was elected to serve as director of District 1 for one year to fill the term of Art Powers, who was elected vice president.

Continuing their terms as directors are Tom Overton, publisher of the Monroe County Advocate & Democrat, Sweetwater, director of District 3; Hugh Jones, publisher of the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, director of District 5; John Finney, vice president of the Buffalo River Review, Linden, director of District 7; Joel Washburn, editor of the Dresden Enterprise, director of District 9.

W. R. (Ron) Fryar, vice president of operations, American Hometown Publishing, Franklin, was re-elected president of the Tennessee Press Association Foundation (TPAF). Gregg K. Jones, co-publisher of The Greeneville Sun, was re-elected vice president of TPAF. Newly elected trustees are: Jeff Fishman, publisher, The Tullahoma News; Hugh Jones, publisher, Shelbyville Times-Gazette and Victor Parkins, editor, The Milan Mirror-Exchange.

TPAF trustees re-elected for three-year terms were Jim Charlet, Brentwood; R. Jack Fishman; Citizen Tribune, Morristown; Hershel Lake, Pulaski Publishing; Walter Pulliam, Knoxville; Darrell Richardson, The Oak Ridger, Oak Ridge; F. Gene Washer, The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville and Scott Whaley, Chester County Independent, Henderson.

Officers and directors of Tennessee Press Service (TPS), business affiliate of TPA, are Dale C. Gentry, editor, The Standard Banner, Jefferson City, president; Pauline D. Sherrer, vice president. Continuing to serve as directors are: W. R. (Ron) Fryar and Michael Williams, publisher, The Paris Post-Intelligencer. Elected by the TPS Stockholders on June 20 to serve as directors for three-years are: Jeff Fishman and Victor Parkins. Gentry and Sherrer were re-elected as officers at the May 9 and10 TPS board of directors meeting.

Tom Griscom is the publisher and executive editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Previously, he served as communication director in the Reagan White House; was press secretary for U.S. Senator Howard Baker; was executive vice president for external relations for R. J. Reynolds; held the West chair of communication at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and was a staff writer at the Chattanooga Free Press.

He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1971) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He attended public schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Griscom serves on the following boards: the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce; Allied Arts; The Community Resource Council; Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprises; the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Library; University of Tennessee, Knoxville Development Council, Howard Baker Center for Public Policy, Tennessee Open Government Coalition, the Tennessee Press Association and the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Foundation.

The TPA was founded in 1870-71 for the purpose of creating a unified voice for the newspaper industry in Tennessee. Today, TPA continues to provide assistance to its 128 member newspapers by monitoring legislative activities, providing training programs, issuing press credentials, maintaining a Web site and providing regular meetings and forums to foster the exchange of information and ideas.

The TPA presidency rotates among TPA's three divisions of Tennessee, east, middle and west, and alternates each year between a daily and non-daily publication. It is customary that, when a person is elected a vice president, he or she will serve two terms as vice president before being elected president.

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TPA is a primary media sponsor of the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation Imagination Library project.