NNA selects Illinois Press Association as managers
Oct 2, 2015
National Newspaper Association President John Edgecombe Jr., publisher of The Nebraska Signal in Geneva, NE, today announced that the Illinois Press Association, based in Springfield, IL, would become NNA’s new management firm beginning January 2016.
“I am very pleased with our board’s selection of a management partner. We received many qualified submissions for management, which our Transition Committee reviewed over the summer, and we found the highly-talented management team at Illinois Press would provide the best fit for NNA. They have a deep bench of marketing, database and leadership-oriented executives and they are completely committed to the success of the newspaper business,” Edgecombe said.
“The Illinois Press Association is honored to be chosen to provide management services to NNA. We are confident the synergies of our combined resources will greatly benefit both organizations,” said Dennis DeRossett, IPA executive director. “Our missions are parallel—we are both strong advocates of newspapers and the important role they play in our communities and in our democracy. At this time in our histories, this partnership is an important next step that will strengthen both organizations and enable us to move forward in new ways to the benefit of our member newspapers.”
The press association will take over from American PressWorks, Inc., which will resume its public policy work and management of NNA’s Washington Office, when the transition is complete. APW began managing NNA’s business affairs in 2010, adding that work to its public policy portfolio.
NNA’s long-time editor, Stanley Schwartz, who has overseen the industry’s leading trade newspaper, Publishers’ Auxiliary, will join the Illinois team.
“We have the total support of both boards of directors and both management teams to carry out a seamless transition and to focus all of our talents on serving community newspapers,” Edgecombe said. “I believe NNA will continue to grow and will serve local newspapers well as it heads into its 131st year.”
NNA was founded in 1885 and represents about 2,100 community newspapers across America, with an emphasis on weekly and small daily newspapers.
The IPA was founded in 1865 and is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015. Its membership consists of approximately 475 newspapers located throughout Illinois.