Kelly J. Boldan, 65

Editor, West Central Tribune and Wctrib.com, Willmar, Minnesota First job in news:

First, I started a high school paper as a Motley High School freshman in 1971-72. Second, I wrote an agricultural column in the summer of 1972 for my hometown paper, Staples World, for 25 cents a column inch. What are some of the most important lessons you have learned while working in news?

The news industry is constantly changing. I first started writing on manual typewriters and later electric IBM typewriters. Then came early computer systems in the early 1980s, faster computers and pagination in the 1990s, the internet by the mid1990s and laptops in a new century with direct to negative technology. Then in the 2010s came direct-toplate technology. The last decade has seen more industry and technological change than the previous years. The lesson learned is to embrace change, as it is constant. When you reflect on your career to date, what brings you the greatest sense of accomplishment?

The first half of my career was in agriculture journalism. I was a farm reporter/copy editor for the Sulphur Springs (Texas) News-telegram in 1981. I then led the launch of Country World, a weekly agricultural newspaper for eastern Texas, in late 1981. In 1983, I returned to the Midwest as editor of Agri News, a weekly agricultural newspaper in Minnesota and Iowa, owned by the Rochester (Minn.) Post Bulletin, where I led the team that launched the Post Bulletin’s first website, postbulletin.com.

In late 1998, I was fortunate to return to daily newspapers as editor of the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer, part of Forum Communications Co. and later led the launch of its first website, bemidjipioneer.com, in 2001. I was later named editor of the West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minnesota, another FCC newspaper.

I have also served on the Minnesota Newspaper Foundation board and the Minnesota Associated Press board. I am currently serving on the Minnesota Newspaper Association board.

Through the years, I have worked with many great journalists. Many stayed with their respective publications, and others have moved on to new journalism or communication roles. I was fortunate to work with all of them. What are your predictions for where news publishing/news media is heading?

Journalism will continue delivering news and content digitally and in the coming decade, likely via technology unknown to us now. The content form will be audio, news stories, photos, podcast, videos and more. Change is constant, and changes in journalism will continue. You must learn to embrace change or be left behind. The free press is critical to the United States and must be protected. The future is to report compelling content digitally now and promote it via social media. Local news – spot news and in-depth – continues to be the key to our future. Investing in and maintaining strong content teams will be imperative to our future revenue and success. I’m looking forward to the next generation of journalists embracing our challenges and forging journalism’s future.

Kelly Boldan, editor of Wilmar, Minnesota’s West Central Tribune, has served on the Minnesota Newspaper Foundation board and the Minnesota Associated Press board. He is currently serving on the board of the Minnesota Newspaper Association. His nominator said, “He has mentored dozens of journalists during his career, some of who are now working as company presidents, editors and reporters at major metro and community newspapers, in addition to communication positions in business and government.”