Recorder publisher Parsons retiring after 45 years in newspapers
Chapman to become Recorder general manager
What started out as a way to earn some money for a couple of years turned into a lifetime passion for Bill Parsons.
And after 45 years of his life passion’s work, Porterville Recorder Publisher Bill Parsons has decided to retire. Parsons’ last day with the Recorder will be in August.
Josie Chapman, who has been with the Recorder for 22 years and has been the Director of Operations for the past year-and-a-half, will assume the duties of general manager. Parsons will continue to be with the Recorder during the transition period.
“We sincerely thank Bill for his time in Porterville and previous work with our organization,” said Steven Malkowich, Executive Vice President of Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers, which owns the Recorder. “His commitment to the community and staff of the Recorder is very much appreciated. We wish Bill and his family the very best.”
Parsons took over as the Recorder’s Publisher in February, 2018 and he said he couldn’t think of a better place to end his career. “If I had to retire somewhere I’m glad it was with the staff of the Recorder,” Parsons said.
Terri Leifeste, California Group Publisher and Vice President of Rhode Island Suburban newspapers, said what Parsons has accomplished in the newspaper business is impressive.
“Under Bill’s leadership the Recorder and the other newspapers he has published for our group in North Dakota and Nebraska have done extremely well and grown every year,” she said. “In the newspaper business that’s a very, very rare thing. In fact it’s not the rule, it’s the exception.
“We are sorry to see Bill leave but after 45 years we understand and wish him and his family the very best.”
Leifeste added under Parson’s leadership, Chapman has become an outstanding leader when it comes to managing an organization. “We are excited about having Josie take over as general manager of the Recorder,” Leifeste said. “We know she’ll do an
outstanding job.”
Parsons said he was also excited to see Chapman become general manager. “She’s dedicated to the continued success of the Recorder,” he said. “I feel like I’m leaving the newspaper in very capable hands.”
Parsons began in the newspaper business in 1975 going door-to-door selling subscriptions with the Tampa Tribune in Florida.
“When I started in the paper business I was going to do it for a couple of years,” he said. “After two years I realized I enjoyed it. And after 10 years it was a career.”
Parsons has actually been working for the last 52 years ever since he was still in high school. After his father died, Parsons began working at a grocery store when he was 17.
A native of East Tennessee, Parsons continued to work while he attended college at East Tennessee State University. “This will be the first time I haven’t had a full-time job in 52 years,” Parsons said.
After his first stint in Tampa, Parsons went onto work seven years in circulation, working as a district manager and then as circulation director of four newspapers in southwestern Virginia.
He then moved onto advertising sales and said he was working toward his goal of becoming a publisher. “It gave me a diierent perspective on the newspaper business,” Parsons said.
Parsons eventually served as the advertising director of the Southwest Virginia Enterprise for eight years. During his time there, the newspaper only missed its goal one month in eight years. “I was really proud of that,” Parson said.
He went onto become the general manager of a newspaper in Charleston, S.C. “I always wanted to get into general management,” Parsons said. “My goal was always to be a publisher.”
Parsons’ career has taken him all over the country. Over the last 30 years he has served as publisher at 15 newspapers in eight states: Wyoming, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Nebraska, North Dakota and California. “I have lived in various communities,” Parsons said. “I have really enjoyed meeting people from all over the county.”
He began his career as a publisher in 1990 in Wheatland, Wyo.
Parsons’ greatest passion has been his awardwinning A Place Called Home section, which has been featured in the Recorder the last two years. In 2001, Parsons began a publishing company, Parsons Publications, which develops and publishes special sections.
In his retirement, Parsons will continue to help direct the publication of A Place Called Home with the Recorder and other newspapers in the Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers Company.
Parsons began the A Place Called Home section 36 years ago because of his love of history and history of communities where he’s lived. He has trademarked the term A Place Called Home. “That’s what I enjoyed doing most over the years,” Parsons said.
Another one of Parsons’ most passionate projects has been Angel Tree, which he also brought to the Recorder. Parsons has done Angel Tree every year ever since his first year as a publisher in Wyoming.
Through the program, gifts are given to less fortunate children through community donations. In Porterville Angel Tree grew from providing gifts to 100 children during its first year in 2018 to more than 200 children last year. “That brings me a lot of joy,” Parsons said. “It’s been a great project for all the papers I’ve been with. There is nothing better than to see the smile on the face of a child on Christmas.”
Over the last 30 years, hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts have been given to children through Angel Tree at newspapers Parsons has directed.
About his time in Porterville, Parsons said: “The last 2 ½ years have been exciting, interesting, rewarding. The people of Porterville are some of the finest people I’ve ever met.”
Parsons added after the COVID-19 crisis passes, Porterville’s potential for business growth is outstanding. “There are are good business owners here and community leadership which will serve Porterville well in the future,” Parsons said.
As far as the Recorder staff is concerned, Parsons said, “they are some of the best. The past 2 ½ years have been a true pleasure working with the most wonderful, professional staff. Of the 15 papers I’ve published I think this is one of the papers that I will always remember as being one of the best.
“The staff here is very dedicated to our readers and to our advertisers. It’s been a very enjoyable and successful 2 ½ years.”
He added about working for Rhode Island Newspapers: “It’s been an honor to work with the management of Rhode Island Newspapers for the past five years.”
Newspapers under his direction as a publisher and executive have won numerous awards. The newspapers he was publisher of in Indiana and Tennessee were named best newspaper four times and a weekly newspaper in Virginia was named best newspaper eight times while he was ad director.
When it comes to his retirement plans, Parsons said he’s looking forward to spending time with his wife, Linda and his family, which includes 7 children and 12 grandchildren. “Since our kids live all over the country, we look forward to more vacation time and baseball games with them,” he said.
Parsons admitted the chance to reunite with his high school classmate Linda in California was one reason why he came from North Dakota to be the Recorder’s publisher. “I’ve had a huge crush on her ever since high school,” he said. “I found her 47 years later. She’s the love of my life.”
When it comes to his career, Parsons said, “I’m thankful to God for the opportunities he’s given me over the years. I’ve been truly blessed.”