Chad Stebbins named Missouri Press Association executive director

(From the Missouri Press Association)

Chad Stebbins will become Missouri Press Association’s next executive director after the board of directors met during the 158th Annual Convention to interview finalist candidates for the role. Stebbins officially begins duties with the association Jan. 6, and succeeds Mark Maassen, who is retiring in February.

A search committee narrowed the pool of candidates and chose two to be interviewed by members of the Missouri Press Association and Service boards of directors during the Annual Convention, held in late September in Springfield.

Stebbins is currently a professor of communications at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, where he is also the director of the Institute of International Studies. He has served as executive director of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) since 1999.

“Chad represents an excellent opportunity for Missouri Press Association to continue the important work of relationship building with our members, as well as with legislators in Jefferson City and with journalism educators across the state,” Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee and MPA President-elect Peggy Scott said. “His experience within national and international press organizations will provide more opportunities and partnerships for Missouri’s newspapers to gain and share knowledge so they can continue to serve their communities.”

In his first year, Stebbins said he plans to visit as many Missouri newspapers as possible and write a regular column for Missouri Press News, the association’s monthly magazine that is sent to every MPA member.

“There are numerous challenges Missouri’s newspapers face, such as postage increases and corporate ownership whose stockholders care only about the bottom line. We need to embrace new subscription and business models,” Stebbins said.

He added that Missouri has lots of great examples of newspapers being leaders in the industry. “Right here in our state there is amazing work being done, whether it’s the family-owned weekly focusing on hyperlocal news or publications exploring new ways to engage the community and inform readers about important issues.”

Stebbins earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Missouri Southern State University (MSSU). He earned his master’s degree in mass communication from University of Central Missouri and a doctorate in mass communication from Bowling Green State University.

He was adviser for MSSU’s student newspaper, The Chart, for 15 years.

In addition to serving as executive director of ISWNE, he is a member of Newspaper Association Managers, Newton County Extension Council, the Joplin History & Mineral Museum, the Joplin Historical Society and the Joplin Celebrations Commission.

Stebbins received the Walter Williams Award from the Missouri Writers Guild in 2022 for writing “Joplin’s Connor Hotel,” published by The History Press. His biography of Arthur Aull, the longtime editor and publisher of the Lamar Democrat, was published by the University of Missouri Press in 1998.