Missourian's Presson elected to state press association board

Southeast Missourian assistant publisher Lucas Presson has been elected to the Missouri Press Association (MPA) Board of Directors. His election to a one-year term took place during the 155th annual MPA convention Sept. 24 in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

Presson has been with Rust Communications since 2010, initially in the newsroom and as coordinator of the Missourian's editorial board. He was general manager of rustmedia for two years and was named the Missourian's assistant publisher five years ago.

A Cape Girardeau native, Presson earned an undergraduate degree in communications studies and a graduate degree in business administration (MBA) from Southeast Missouri State University.

His term on the board will begin Jan. 1.

In addition to Presson's election to the board, Shannon County Current Wave publisher Roger Dillon was elected MPA president. He succeeds Liz Irwin, publisher of Missouri Lawyers Media in St. Louis, who will continue service on the MPA board through 2022 as immediate past president.

Other MPA officers whose terms will begin in January are first vice president Beth Durreman of the Perry County Republic-Monitor in Perryville; second vice president Amos Bridges of the Springfield News-Leader; secretary Marion Jordon Sr. of the Kansas City Globe; and Bryan Chester from the Columbia Missourian.

Tim Schmidt of the Montgomery Standard in Montgomery City was elected to a one-year term on the board of directors, while Gary Castor from the Jefferson City News Tribune, Bryan Jones from the Versailles Leader-Statesman and Kevin Jones from the St. Louis American were all elected to three-year board terms.

Continuing on the MPA board are Hannah Spaar of the Odessan in Odessa; Donna Bischoff of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; and Sandy Nelson from the Courier Tribune in Liberty. Trevor Vernon from The Advertiser in Elson will retire from the MPA board in December.

Former Southeast Missourian staff member Peggy Scott, now with the Jefferson County Leader in Festus, will continue as MPA's state chairwoman of the National Newspaper Association.

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