KANSAS CITY – St. Louis American Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Jones was elected president of Missouri Press Association on Friday, October 16, during the 143rd annual Missouri Press Association convention in Kansas City.
Jones, currently first vice president of MPA, will succeed Vicki Russell, associate publisher of the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Founded in 1867 by Missouri newspaper publishers and editors, Missouri Press Association is now comprised of more than 290 member newspapers throughout the state of Missouri.
Besides Jones, only two previous MPA presidents have been from St. Louis-area newspapers, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s David Lipman in 1997 and St. Louis Daily Record’s Lucius B. Morse in 1968.
Jones, a 24-year veteran of the newspaper industry and an honor graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia’s School of Journalism, is a past president of the Missouri Advertising Managers’ Association and has received that group’s distinguished Old Pro Award.
He is a member of the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis and a board member of the Advertising Club of St. Louis.
Recipient of more than two dozen regional and national industry awards, including being named top newspaper Advertising Director of the Year in North America by Suburban Newspapers of America, Jones calls this his biggest honor.
“Of all the state press associations in the nation, Missouri Press ranks right up there as one of the tops, if not the top,” Jones said.
“To be able to serve as president of this association, and have my photo in the halls of my alma matter’s (Mizzou’s) journalism school’s hall, with such prestigious previous presidents, is more than a dream come true.”