Tahlequah Daily Press

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March 18, 2013

Daily Press welcomes Compton as publisher

Staff

TAHLEQUAH — David Compton likes to refer to himself as “just a Southern country boy who was raised on a dirt road in Texas.”

Like many others, Compton’s character has been shaped by life-changing events. He learned integrity-based values from being raised in a strict Southern family in North Texas, by a dad with a military background. A strong work ethic was formed when he became responsible for supporting himself at age 14 around the time his father died.

Compton moved to Southern Indiana to attend college and has spent most of his career in the Midwest. After a number of newspaper postings that spanned across several states, he has moved to Tahlequah. He and his family have already fallen in love with Cherokee County.

“Tahlequah seems like a great place to raise a family, and we can’t wait to begin our life here,” he said. “The Tahlequah Daily Press is one of the most respected names in Cherokee County, and I expect us to hold onto that high standard.”

Success has followed Compton’s career. He led separate teams that won Specialty Publication of the Year honors in Michigan, Kentucky, Connecticut and Ohio. His first media experience was with the school newspaper in fifth grade, and the ink has been in his blood ever since. He has spent the better part of the past three decades honing that craft.

Compton has developed a broad newspaper background by leading award-winning publishing teams in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Connecticut and Ohio. In all, he has leadership experience with 33 newspapers, 12 “total market coverage” (TMC) shoppers, and several monthly magazines, along with dozens of websites and specialty publications.

Prior to his stint at the Daily Advocate in Greenville, Compton was group publisher for Journal Register Co., along the Atlantic Coast. There he was responsible for over a dozen websites, 16 paid and free newspapers, and four shoppers with a combined weekly distribution of over 267,000.

Compton has received accreditations, recognition, awards and specialized training from Vincennes University, Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., Associated Press Institute, Newspaper Association of America, Kentucky Press Association, Michigan Press Association, Hoosier State Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Brooks Brothers Marketing, Suburban Newspapers of America, Boone Newspapers Inc., Journal Register Company, Indiana Publisher, Brown Publishing Company, Associated Press (Ohio), and many more.

He has served on many community boards, including Rotary Club, School Business Advisory Councils and the County Community Improvement Corp. He also was chairman of the board for the Darke County Chamber of Commerce; president of Greenville Public Access Television; and president of the Darke County United Way. In 2010, he was named Darke County’s Young Professional of the Year. He was also honored as the 2011 Associated Press Columnist of the Year for the state of Ohio.

Compton and his wife, Brianne, enjoy busy lives as they both balance work and family. They have two sons: William, born 1994, and Noah, born 2000. In late 2007, they moved David’s mother, Pamela, from Texas to their home to share in their lives. In 2009, they officially became certified foster parents, with plans to extend their good fortunes and their family.

Compton can be reached at dcompton@tahlequah  dailypress.com or (918)456-8833, ext. 12.

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