Texas newspapers are as unique as — well — Texas.

I’ll bet I’ve received as much education about the diversity of our great state while being involved with press associations as anything I could have learned in 17 years of school.

Through TPA and the regional associations I paid my first visit to places like Kerrville, Lubbock, Nacogdoches and Jefferson. They were places I had heard about all my life, but never had the chance to experience firsthand.

I’ve still never been to El Paso. But if I had been able to attend the TPA convention held there a few summers ago (2001), it would have been added to the list of legendary places visited.

And just like these and many other cities represent a diversity of culture and geography, so do Texas newspapers.

As members of the North and East Texas Press Association and the West Texas Press Association, we have attended conventions as far apart as Fort Davis and Marshall — somewhere around 600 miles.

And in visits to the other regionals, we found ourselves in Amarillo and Port Aransas, also a spread of almost 600 miles from the high plains to the coast.

And as interesting and fascinating as the history and scenery of those places, it was experiencing the people as much as anything that has left a lasting impression.

Whether it’s soaking up the sun, ocean breezes and a cool brew along the Gulf or taking in a vast night sky on the Caprock, breathing the pungent Piney Woods air or searching for Marfa lights and walking among “Giants,” Texas, its people and places fascinate.

And those personalities are nowhere more evident than in the folks who operate the state ’s papers — especially in the smaller towns, where the publisher can also be one of the local characters.

One of my first assignments as president was to name eight people as appointed members of the

I am ignorant of whether this is true in other states, but my Texas pride tells me we have a good situation here and an incredible opportunity to lead not only a fine state but to continue leading at the national level as well.

Our friend Jerry Tidwell of Granbury will complete his term as National Newspaper Association president this month in Norfolk, Va. I hope many of you will be able to attend Sept. 26-29, to support Jerry and Vana for the incredible job they are doing, and congratulate them on a successful year.

Jerry is the most recent Texan to serve as NNA president. He joins two outstanding leaders I ’ve been privileged to know, Roy Eaton from Decatur and the late Harold Hudson from Perryton. Prior to that five other Texans have led the NNA and its predecessor, the National Editorial Association, dating back to 1900.

It’s no surprise our state has contributed such people to help steer the course of a national group.

Texas has always yielded strong leaders in many arenas, from sports to politics. I think our diversity contributes to that.

We look forward to the opportunity to take in some more of it in the months ahead.