The Indiana Publisher

September 2019 Page 5 Staff Elwood Publishing Elwood Publishing Company is proud to welcome David Keller as the new publisher of the organization's three newspapers: The Elwood Call-Leader, Tipton County Tribune, and The Alexandria Times-Tribune. Keller says he has "ink in his blood," as he grew up in the newspaper environment. His father, Don Keller, served as president of the Buckeye Press Association and edited the Morgan County Herald for nearly five decades. He began his career in the newspaper industry in 1994 at the Morgan County Herald, a weekly newspaper based in McConnels- ville, Ohio. In 1998, he ushered the Herald into the digital publishing era by launching the newspaper's first website – a medium consid- ered uncharted territory for weekly papers at the time. Keller began working with the Ohio News Media Association (ONMA) in 2006 after joining the Weekly Newspaper Committee. He helped govern the Osman C. Hopper Weekly Newspaper Contest and moderated several ONMA panels over the years. In 2011, Keller took over as general manager of the Herald and by 2012, he had led the paper to the coveted General Excellence Award for weekly newspapers. He has served on various boards, including the Dream Center of Morgan County, which aims to help youths and their families learn to turn their dreams into reality. Additionally, Keller volunteered as a board member with the House of Hope Central Ohio, a residential program that helps troubled teens find hope, healing, and restoration. He has been an active member of the ONMA Board of Trustees since 2017. Keller succeeds Bob Nash, a 56-year veteran of the newspaper business, all of which were with Elwood Publishing Company. "David grew up in the business as I did, and he is a seasoned newspaperman. We are very lucky he is available to take over from Bob, here in Indiana, and I can't wait to see what he is able to accomplish, both for the business and the communities we serve," remarked owner, Brian Barnes. "Our families go way back. His Dad worked for my grandfather. He has the full trust and confidence of the Barnes family." Keller said, "I am very excited and humbled to be a part of such a great company and I look forward to serving the growing and progressive communities in which we publish." Keller's wife, Janis, has worked by his side at the Herald, where she serves as interim managing editor, photographer, and sports editor, as well as assisting with layout and other aspects of the newspaper. The couple currently resides in McConnelsville, Ohio, and has four children: Michaela (Mrs. Nathan Davis), Abigail, Caleb, and Rachel. "I am very excited and humbled to be a part of such a great company and I look forward to serving the growing and progres- sive communities in which we publish David Keller Publisher, Elwood Publishing Steven Murrey Elwood Publishing Robert Nash, publisher of the Elwood Call-Leader, Alexandria Times-Tribune, and Tipton County Tribune, retired Friday, Aug. 2 after more than 56 years with the Elwood Publishing Company. Nash, a lifetime Elwood native, attended St. Joseph School in Elwood through grade 10 before graduating from St. Mary's High School in Anderson at age 16. Nash began his career with The Call-Leader at age 19 on May 23, 1963, as an advertising sales representative. By 1966, Nash was named classified ad manager. In 1970 he took over as advertis- ing manager at The Call-Leader. Nash became director of advertis - ing for all three newspapers in 1973 following the Barnes family's purchase of the Tipton and Alexandria newspapers. Nash replaced Jack Barnes as Elwood Publishing Company's publisher Nov. 26, 1996 following Barnes's own retirement. "Bob Nash has been an outstanding member of the Elwood Publishing Company staff for many years," Barnes said at the time. "Through his dedication and leadership, he has certainly earned his new role as publisher." Brian Barnes, son of Jack Barnes, President and former publisher of Elwood Publishing Company added his sentiments on Nash's retirement. "When I moved away in the 90s to take care of some family matters in North Carolina, I insisted that Bob take over from my Dad as publisher, because I knew he would do a great job. He has certainly not let me down, and I could not ask for anybody to do anything more than what Bob has done for my family, the paper and the community. I wish him nothing but the best." During his more than five and a half decades in the newspaper industry, Nash has received many awards for outstanding advertis- ing from the Indiana News-paper Advertising Executives Associa- tion. Throughout Nash's career, he has witnessed first-hand the changes in both the newspaper industry and the City of Elwood. He recalled the booming business district that once populated the downtown area. "Most everything was downtown," Nash said. "There were three of everything – men's stores, women's stores, shoe stores – everything was just up Keller Keller named publisher of Elwood Publishing Nash retires after 56 years from Elwood Publishing Robert Nash, publisher of the Elwood Call-Leader, Alexandria Times- Tribune, and Tipton County Tribune, retired Friday, Aug. 2 after more than 56 years with the Elwood Publishing Company. See Nash, page 10

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