JT Strasner named publisher of Kingsville Record

KINGSVILLE – JT Strasner has been named editor and publisher of the Kingsville Record.

Strasner previously served as a publisher in El Campo, Brenham and Port Lavaca, as well as group publisher over five newspapers in Missouri.

The Kingsville Record was purchased by the Kingsville Area Industrial Foundation in late 2019.

“The Industrial Foundation Board of Directors are excited to bring Mr. Strasner on board to lead the newspaper,” said Manny Salazar, who serves on the Industrial Foundation Board and who also served as interim publisher of the Kingsville Record following the death of Terry Fitzwater. “A successful local newspaper strengthens our town, builds transparency, encourages social, political and economic participation and ultimately makes Kingsville a better place to live, work and raise a family,” he said. “JT checks all of the boxes in what you would want in a publisher, and we know that his expertise and experience will serve this community well.”

Under Strasner’s direction, the El Campo Leader-News won more than 100 advertising and editorial awards, including five first-place sweepstakes plaques over five years. In Brenham, he helped lead the paper to first-place Associated Press Managing Editor’s plaques as well.

A native of Arkansas, Strasner has also won more than 40 individual first place honors for editorial writing, photography, feature writing, business reporting and column writing. He has been an active board member of Rotary and involved in chambers of commerce and the 100 Club of Texas. Strasner is a current board member of the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association and previously served on the board of the Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors, editorial contest committees and the Freedom of Information Board for the Arkansas Press Association.

“Kingsville is a community full of tradition and also full of friendly people who are passionate about their hometown newspaper. I’m honored to be selected to continue the tradition of excellence established here for so many decades,” Strasner said.