TPA President

A word from your publisher: Following a legacy of tough people

Every day, I look up at my great-grandfather’s portrait on my office wall. The stern-looking man from this portrait, probably dated around 1920, shows a gentleman in round spectacles and a wool suit. What was life like back then for John Esten Cooke?

Last weekend, I had a goal fulfilled in being named president of the Texas Press Association (TPA) and following in my great grandfather’s footsteps. TPA is the statewide group that advocates for the industry and works to protect the people’s right to know public information.

My great-grandfather’s middle name was given to me by my parents, and I am proud to carry his legacy, as well as those of my grandfather and father and siblings at TPA, which could also stand for “Tough People’s Association.” More on that later.

TPA has helped me grow as a journalist, so I am so pleased to be able to give back to it as its leader. Over the years, I’ve taken countless training courses sponsored by TPA or done so with TPA financial assistance, dealing with news writing, photography, page design or any of the other areas of interest in our industry.

Through TPA, I’ve had the chance to testify for and against bills that affect our industry at the state capitol. And I’ve certainly enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow publishers and journalists from papers of all sizes around the state at our annual conventions and other events.

Just like in other industries, we lean on each other for advice. When starting a magazine, I look to the best in our industry and pick their brains about what makes a successful product. Our staff learned a lot from Leonard Woolsey, publisher of the Galveston County Daily News, and his staff’s beautiful Coast Monthly when launching our quarterly Rock & Vine magazine.

I keep up with those who are stepping boldly into the digital transformation of our industry by offering great websites and news, like Bill Patterson of the Denton Record-Chronicle, while still keeping the traditional print subscribers satisfied with quality products.

And I’m just constantly inspired by those in our industry who are doing the service-oriented community journalism that we all feel our readers and advertisers deserve: Pat Canty of the Odessa American, who let his city council know that open records violations would not occur on his watch; Randy Mankin of the Eldorado Success, who kept a cool head when the crazy came to that town; Jim Bardwell of the Gladewater Mirror, who led the organization through a personal tragedy in the sudden loss of his wife; as well as the entire staff at the Uvalde Leader-News, who showed bravery and tenacity through a horrible community tragedy.

I also appreciate the decades-long friendship and fierce competition of Richard Stone, now a consultant, ad sales expert Mark Henry, and Murray and Mary Judson, who own the Port Aransas South Jetty.

In my office, there is also a portrait of my grandfather, W.H. Cooke, who took over The Rockdale Reporter & Messenger from his father and steered it through the Great Depression. He had what are referred to today as “side hustles,” from servicing diner booth jukeboxes, to hustling up print contracts that literally kept the business afloat.

And there’s a photo of my dad, J.W. “Bill” Cooke, who put out the paper in our small-but-growing town much by himself when my grandfather developed health issues and until he was able to hire help in the 1970s. And he did this while raising four children with my amazing mother, Peggy, who also helped at the paper by proofreading and catching more than a few typos each edition.

There’s ink in our bloodline, but I like to think I inherited a work ethic and a faith that things will work out from both of them.

I also look around the office in Fredericksburg, where I came in 2012, and see photos of the late Art Kowert, a contemporary of my grandfather’s, and Terry Collier, a longtime friend whom I still confide in regularly.

They all faced challenges. The advent of radio, and television, and social media were all the supposed death knell for newspapers. But we’re still here, providing important and entertaining information to our readers.

We’ve survived a global pandemic, political upheaval, paper supply shortages, and more. Yet, we still serve in this industry we love. We’re changing, adapting and doing our best.

Two sayings come to mind. One social media friend put out a question asking, “What are your best four words of advice?” My friend, Leonard Woolsey fired back, “Never ever, ever quit.” That stuck with me through the pandemic and recent challenges.

Another piece of advice came from longtime publisher of the Brenham Banner-Press Charles Moser when I was less than optimistic presenting an annual budget during the worst of the coronavirus to him and his son, Jim Moser of Moser Community Media. Charles told me, “Tough times don’t last. But tough people do.”

I’m honored to serve TPA, an organization with 144 years of history and made up of tough people.