Texas Press Association Past Presidents
More than 140 men and women have led the association since its inception in 1880. In the early days, the president managed association affairs for the membership. TPA hired its first full-time executive director in 1947.
The TPA president is elected by the general membership at each annual Summer Convention and serves one year until the close of the next summer meeting.
The TPA president is the highest elected official in the association and is granted honorary membership for life after completing his or her term.
| 2025-26 | Lisa Chappell | Greenville Herald-Banner |
| 2024-25 | Bill Patterson | Denton Record-Chronicle |
| 2023-2024 | Ken Esten Cooke | Rockdale Reporter |
| 2022-2023 | Leonard Woolsey | The Daily News, Galveston |
| 2021-2022 | Jim Bardwell | Gladewater Mirror |
| 2020-2021 | Ramona Ferguson | The Banner Press Newspaper |
| 2018-2020 | Laurie Ezzell-Brown | The Canadian Record |
| 2017-2018 | Patrick Canty | Odessa American |
| 2016-2017 | Randy Keck | The Community News, Aledo |
| 2015-2016 | Glenn Rea | Cuero Record |
| 2014-2015 | Randy Mankin | Eldorado Success |
| 2013-2014 | Greg Shrader | The Lufkin News |
| 2012-2013 | Russel Skiles | Lamesa Press-Reporter |
| 2011-2012 | Chad Ferguson | The Banner Press Newspaper |
| 2010-2011 | Bob Brincefield | Brownwood Bulletin |
| 2009-2010 | Terry Collier | Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post |
| 2008-2009 | Roy Robinson | The Graham Leader |
| 2007-2008 | Phil Major | Clay County Leader |
| 2006-2007 | Marshall Day | Gatesville Messenger |
| 2005-2006 | Judy Johnson | Hometown News Winnie |
| 2004-2005 | Wanda Garner Cash | Baytown Sun |
| 2003-2004 | Willis Webb | Jasper Newsboy |
| 2002-2003 | Bob Buckel | Azle News |
| 2001-2002 | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2000-2001 | Alvin Holley | Polk County Publishing |
| 1999-2000 | Lynn Brisendine | Brownfield News |
| 1998-1999 | Larry Jackson | Wharton Journal Spectator |
| 1997-1998 | Rollie Hyde | Plainview Daily Herald |
| 1996-1997 | Jerry Tidwell | Hood County News |
| 1995-1996 | Sarah Greene | Gilmer Mirror |
| 1994-1995 | Dick Richards | Aransas Pass Progress |
| 1993-1994 | James R. Hudson | Perryton Herald |
| 1992-1993 | Larry Crabtree | Vernon Daily Record |
| 1991-1992 | Chris Barbee | El Campo Leader News |
| 1990-1991 | Mary Henkel Judson | Port Aransas South Jetty |
| 1989-1990 | Roy McQueen | Snyder Daily News |
| 1988-1989 | Fred E. Lowe | Lampasas Dispatch Record |
| 1987-1988 | Roy J. Eaton | Wise County Messenger |
| 1986-1987 | Charles Schulz | Taylor Daily Press |
| 1985-1986 | Walter Buckel | Lamesa Press Reporter |
| 1984-1985 | Frank Baker | Fort Stockton Pioneer |
| 1983-1984 | John Crawford | Pottsboro Press |
| 1982-1983 | T.H. Cunningham, | Llano News |
| 1981-1982 | O.G. Speedy Nieman, | Hereford Brand |
| 1980-1981 | James Roberts | Andrews County News |
| 1979-1980 | William E. Dozier | Kerrville Daily Times |
| 1978-1979 | Fred V. Barbee Jr. | El Campo Leader News |
| 1977-1978 | Bob Hamilton, | Iowa Park Leader |
| 1976-1977 | J.C. Chatmas | Marlin Daily Democrat |
| 1975-1976 | John Taylor | Seguin Gazette |
| 1974-1975 | Glenn Sedam | Bay City Tribune |
| 1973-1974 | Tom Steely | Lamar County Echo |
| 1972-1973 | Don Coppedge | Waxahachie Daily Light |
| 1971-1972 | Rigby Owen Sr. | Conroe Courier |
| 1970-1971 | Ellie Hopkins | Longview News Journal |
| 1969-1970 | George Hawkes | Arlington Citizen Journal |
| 1968-1969 | Glynn Morris | Borger News Herald |
| 1967-1968 | Harold Hudson | Perryton Herald |
| 1966-1967 | Jim Barnhill | Hillsboro Daily Mirror |
| 1965-1966 | Winn Crossley | Madisonville Meteor |
| 1964-1965 | Aubrey McAlister | Bonham Daily Favorite |
| 1963-1964 | W.E. Berger | Hondo Anvil Herald |
| 1962-1963 | George Baker | Fort Stockton Pioneer |
| 1961-1962 | Victor B. Fain | Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel |
| 1960-1961 | L.B. Smith | Brady Standard Herald |
| 1959-1960 | Tom Whitehead Sr. | Brenham Banner Press |
| 1958-1959 | J.C. Smyth | Liberty Vindicator |
| 1957-1958 | Jimmie Gillentine | Hereford Brand |
| 1956-1957 | David C. Leavell | Galveston News Tribune |
| 1955-1956 | Russell W. Bryant | Italy News Herald |
| 1954-1955 | W.R. Beaumier | Lufkin Daily News |
| 1953-1954 | Arthur H. Kowert | Fredericksburg Standard |
| 1952-1953 | William Rawland | Cleburne Times Review |
| 1951-1952 | Brad H. Smith | Weslaco News |
| 1950-1951 | Frederick I. Massengill Jr. | Terrell Tribune |
| 1949-1950 | Van W. Stewart | Ochiltree County Herald |
| 1948-1949 | Robert Matherne | Baytown Sun |
| 1947-1948 | Paul M. Fulks | Wolfe City Sun |
| 1946-1947 | Walter R. Humphrey | Fort Worth Press |
| 1945-1946 | J.T. Cook | Mission Times |
| 1944-1945 | George B. Peeler | Taylor Daily Press |
| 1943-1944 | L.M. Watson | Sweetwater News |
| 1942-1943 | James F. Donahue | Freeport Facts-Review |
| 1941-1942 | David M. Warren | Panhandle Herald |
| 1940-1941 | Charles K. Devall | Kilgore News Herald |
| 1939-1940 | W.E. Buckner | San Marcos Record |
| 1938-1939 | Deskin Wells | Wellington Leader |
| 1937-1938 | R.J. Edwards | Denton Record Chronicle |
| 1936-1937 | H.H. Jackson | Coleman Democrat Voice |
| 1935-1936 | Louis C. Elbert | Galveston News Tribune |
| 1934-1935 | Sam C. Holloway | Deport Times |
| 1933-1934 | R.F. Higgs | Stephenville Empire Tribune |
| 1932-1933 | Lowry Martin | Corsicana Sun |
| 1931-1932 | R.L. Scott | DeLeon Free Press |
| 1930-1931 | R.H. Nichols | Vernon Record |
| 1929-1930 | H.F. Schwenker | Brady Standard |
| 1928-1929 | Sam E. Miller | Mineral Wells Index |
| 1927-1928 | E.A. Carlock | Paducah Post |
| 1927-1928 | George T. Neu | Brenham Banner |
| 1926-1927 | R.L. Baldridge | Clifton Record |
| 1925-1926 | W.A. Smith | San Saba News |
| 1924-1925 | A.H. Luker | Grapeland Messenger |
| 1923-1924 | Sam Braswell | Clarendon News |
| 1922-1923 | S.D. "Denver" Chesnutt | Kenedy Advance |
| 1921-1922 | Judd Mortimer Lewis | Houston Post |
| 1920-1921 | J. Esten Cooke | Rockdale Reporter |
| 1919-1920 | Sam Fore, Jr. | Floresville Chronicle Journal |
| 1918-1919 | Harry Koch | Quanah Tribune Chief |
| 1917-1918 | Sherwood Spotts | Bonham Favorite |
| 1916-1917 | Henry Edwards | Troup Banner |
| 1915-1916 | Walter B. Whitman | Holland's Magazine |
| 1914-1915 | D.R. Harris | Rusk County News |
| 1913-1914 | J.J. Taylor | Dallas Morning News |
| 1912-1913 | W.C. Edwards | Denton Record Chronicle |
| 1911-1912 | J.A. Thomas | Mineola Monitor |
| 1910-1911 | J.R. Ransone Jr. | Cleburne Enterprise |
| 1909-1910 | W.A. Johnson | Memphis Herald |
| 1908-1909 | Clarence Edgar Gilmore | Wills Point Chronicle |
| 1907-1908 | W.J. Buie | Waxahachie Enterprise |
| 1906-1907 | Thomas W. Perkins | McKinney Courier Gazette |
| 1905-1906 | J.H. Lowry | Honey Grove Signal |
| 1904-1905 | Sidney J. Thomas | Comanche Chief |
| 1903-1904 | Robert Enoch Yantis | Athens Review |
| 1902-1903 | C.N. Ousley | Houston Post |
| 1901-1902 | F.B. Robinson | Huntsville Item |
| 1900-1901 | E.W. Harris | Greenville Herald |
| 1899-1900 | W.H. Mayes | Brownwood Bulletin |
| 1898-1899 | John Gilbert Rankin | Brenham Banner |
| 1897-1898 | S.M. Vernon | Comanche Chief |
| 1896-1897 | Col. F.B. Baillio | Cleburne Review |
| 1895-1896 | John H. Cullom | Garland News |
| 1895-1896 | W.A. Adair | Marshall Messenger |
| 1894-1895 | Col. Frank P. Holland | Texas Farm & Ranch |
| 1893-1894 | A.C. Scurlock | Cleburne Chronicle |
| 1892-1893 | John H. Copeland | San Antonio News |
| 1891-1892 | J.F. Mitchell | Greenville Banner |
| 1890-1891 | Juan S. Hart | El Paso Times |
| 1889-1890 | R.M. Johnston | Houston Post |
| 1888-1889 | J.P. Bridges | Luling Signal |
| 1887-1888 | William Ferguson | San Antonio Times |
| 1886-1887 | Lafayette Lumpkin Foster | Groesbeck New Era |
| 1885-1886 | J.H. Davis | Mount Vernon Herald |
| 1885-1886 | T.J. Girardeau | Houston Journal |
| 1884-1885 | W.L. Hall | Dallas Herald |
| 1883-1884 | W.M. Yandell | Guadalupe Times |
| 1881-1883 | H.L. Gosling | Castroville Quill |
| 1880-1881 | J.W. Fishburn | Mexia Ledger |
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