The Inter-Mountain photo
Steve Herron, center, Publisher of The Inter-Mountain, is presented a retirement watch from Mike Christman, left, Regional Publisher of Ogden Newspapers, and Jim Spanner, right, Publisher of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.
ELKINS — Steve Herron has lived his life as a newspaper publisher with one mission: working each day to keep his local communities well-informed while providing local businesses with an avenue to get their message to readers. He excelled in that role for 34 years in locations stretching from West Virginia to North Dakota.
His latest — and final — stop saw him return to his hometown of Elkins, where he served as publisher of The Inter-Mountain. Friday served as his final day in the newspaper business, as friends, colleagues and community members gathered at The Inter-Mountain to wish him a good retirement.
Herron’s newspaper career began in 1990 at The Journal in Martinsburg as an advertising account executive. “I transitioned from retail to newspapers because I always enjoyed putting together advertising campaigns for our family owned business. It was fun and I knew first hand that newspaper advertising produced results,” Herron said.
Following his time in Martinsburg, Herron accepted leadership roles at newspapers in West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, North Dakota and New York. Most of his entire newspaper career was spent with the Ogden Newspapers.
“I’ve had such an exciting and interesting newspaper career. I have met and worked with a lot of great people in the newspaper industry, as well as the private sector everywhere I’ve been,” he said. “I have also seen a great deal of changes in the newspaper business throughout the years. Technology has really evolved our business. When I first started, I thought it was really interesting to have a darkroom and it was amazing to see how a negative would be transferred to a plate that would eventually be put on the press to produce a newspaper. Technology has changed those steps. One thing that has not changed, though, is the quality of our work. I think the entire staff at The Inter-Mountain operates at a high level and I would challenge anyone to find a better-printed newspaper than The Inter-Mountain anywhere.”
Herron said returning home to Elkins to lead his hometown newspaper was the icing on the cake for his career.
“I had such great respect for the past leadership at The Inter-Mountain. My earliest recollection of the leaders of our newspaper were former publishers Ed Kruger, Ray Olsen and Jim Hoffman. And anyone from Elkins over the age of 50 has most likely heard the name Eldora Nuzum. Eldora was the first female newspaper editor in the state of West Virginia and she was truly an amazing lady,” Herron said.
A newspaper publisher is a valued community leader, and Herron accepted that role without hesitation. He volunteered over the years for countless organizations, from Rotary Clubs in multiple states, to a board member for The Boys and Girls Club, various Chambers of Commerce, various United Way organizations, the Randolph County Senior Center and as a former chairman of the board for Minot Area Development Corp. in Minot, North Dakota. Herron was the 1989 Director General of the Mountain State Forest Festival and became the festival’s Director Emeritus in 2002.
“I would have to say that my parents instilled in me the belief that it is always important to give back to the community,” said Herron. “In doing so I have enjoyed building long-lasting friendships all over the country, and my life is much richer because of it.”
His last stop in Elkins has been particularly rewarding as he led a staff committed to informing the greater Randolph County community.
“I will miss the day-to-day activities that go on in the newspaper business. But I leave The Inter-Mountain knowing that the staff will continue to do outstanding work at a high level and the people in our five-county region will continue to receive excellent local news, expert advertising and marketing opportunities in both print and online, and quality commercial printing,” he said.