News: Neillsville - CC Press Publisher (Group Head - 1974)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Harvey, Howe, Royle, Olson, Turner, Kenny, Nelson, Hawkes, Kienzle, Slaats

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 5/16/1974

Name Press Publisher (Group Head - 1974)

The Neillsville publisher, Robert Harvey of the Clark County Press, was elected president of the Wisconsin Press Association at the association’s annual meeting, May 10, at Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells.

Other officers elected include: Jack Howe, of the Prairie du Chien Courier - Press and Prairie Spy, first vice-president; Dan Royle, publisher of the Sun Prairie Star-Countryman, Deerfield Independent and Waterloo Courier, second vice-president; and James Olson, publisher of the Richland Observer, Richland Center, third vice-president.

Also re-elected for one-year terms were Mark Turner, Waupaca County Post, treasurer, and John Kenny, Tomah Journal and Monitor-Herald, secretary.

Two directorships of the association were filled by mail ballot prior to the meeting. Directors elected to serve for the three-year terms were Wilbur Nelson, publisher of the Burnett County Sentinel, Grantsburg, re-elected from the Northwest District; and Dennis Hawkes, publisher of the Lake Mills Leader, elected from the Southeast District.

Harvey, the association’s new president, was born in Washington, D. C., in 1912, and got an early exposure to the journalism profession. His father, Wells F. Harvey, was a correspondent for a string of Michigan dailies and two Japanese papers, the Nichi Nichi, Tokyo, and the Manichi Shimbum, of Osaka. He claims to have “cut his eyeteeth” as a folder-tender and general printer’s devil at his father’s newspapers, the Big Rapids Pioneer, a Michigan Daily, and the Osceola County Herald, a Michigan Weekly.

A graduate of White Plains, N. Y. High School and Olivet College in central Michigan, Harvey worked for the Battle Creek (Michigan) Enquirer and Evening News. He later worked for both the New York Times and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle before joining his father at The Clark County Press, Neillsville, in 1938.

The new association chief, claims to “have gone a good fur piece” since joining the paper 36 years ago. Since that time, The Clark County Press has won three national first awards and numerous state association awards. Harvey has served as both president and director from his Northwest District of the Wisconsin Press Association; as a member of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Journalism department advisory board; and as current vice-president of the Western Wisconsin Press club.

The new association head also has served as first, second and third vice-president of the state press association but prefers to call his position “president in charge of vice.”

Harvey and his wife, Dorene, have three children: Mrs. Greg (Cheri) Kienzle, Webster City, Ia.; Mrs. Gary (Jane) Slaats, Neillsville; Dr. Robert Tim Harvey, Neillsville; and two grandchildren. Gary and Jane Slaats are currently affiliated with The Clark County Press.