Stu Phillips named OPA president

July 1, 2006 (Oklahoma City) – Stu Phillips, publisher of the Seminole Producer and Wewoka Times, assumed the office of president of the Oklahoma Press Association on July 1, 2007.

Phillips is the third generation of his family to serve as president of the association. His father, Ted Phillips, was president in 1989 and his grandfather, H. Milt Phillips, served as president in 1953.

“My family has been in the newspaper business since 1899,” said Phillips.

Also taking office for the 2007-2008 term were Vice President Steve Booher, publisher of the Cherokee Messenger and Republican, and Treasurer John D. Montgomery, publisher of the Purcell Register.

Board members are David Stringer, past president, publisher of The Norman Transcript; Gloria Trotter, publisher of the Tecumseh Countywide News; Rod Serfoss, publisher of the Clinton Daily News; Rusty Ferguson, publisher of the Cleveland American; Jeff Shultz, publisher of the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, and Jeff Mayo, publisher of the Sequoyah County Times in Sallisaw.

Mark Thomas serves as executive vice president of the association, which provides continuing education, lobbying efforts, ad placement and other services for the daily and weekly member newspapers.

“The newspaper business is currently in the largest state of flux that we’ve ever witnessed,” said Phillips. “Some traditional papers are now ‘free’ papers. Many papers are planning on the move to a paid ‘electronic’ paper and we still have some papers printed from lead type.”

Survival of the newspaper industry has been challenged before, said Phillips.

 “When my grandfather was starting in the business, the newspaper industry was going to die because of the new invention of commercial radio,” he said. “When my father started in the business, the facsimile machine was going to replace the newspaper. When I started in the business, cable news networks were going to replace the newspaper. Now that our kids are in the business, the Internet is supposed to replace the newspaper.

“Our newspapers may not have paper in the future but whatever the format, we believe people will want information about their friends and neighbors for many generations to come. The Phillips family intends to deliver that information in our community.”

Phillips has been working at the newspaper since he was a child. His first “real” position, at around age 15, was working in the press room and camera room. In high school, he was the Producer’s staff photographer.

Since May 21, 1984, Phillips has worked full-time at the Producer. He became general manager in 1994, when his father retired. In 1998, he became associate editor and in 2004, following the death of his father, Phillips took the title of editor and publisher.

“I’ve never worked a day in my life,” he said. “I’ve always been a newspaper man.”

Phillips and his wife, Cheryl, have four children – Shirlene, Katie, Darlene and Cody. Shirlene, who works as the Producer’s office manager, is attending the University of Oklahoma. Her husband, Donny Cofer, serves as the Producer’s managing editor. Katie also works for the Producer. Darlene graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law this spring. Cody just graduated from Seminole High School and has a full scholarship to play tennis in college.