BELOIT – After 25 years leading the Beloit Daily News as publisher, Kent Eymann is stepping aside as a new era begins. He reflected on the end of his tenure in Friday’s newspaper.
Born and raised in Forest City, Iowa, Eymann got his start in the publishing industry at Shopper Enterprises in his home state. He was general manager there in 1992 when Hagadone Corporation, owner of the Daily News, recruited Eymann to be the newspaper’s advertising director.
Following the retirement of Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame publisher William Behling two years later, Eymann was named his successor.
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Eymann guided the Daily News through many changes during his 25 years, including in June 1995, when it became the first Wisconsin newspaper to have a website for content distribution. He also spent several years on the WNA Board of Directors, including a year as president in 2013.
In Eymann’s final year as publisher, the Daily News had a strong showing in the WNA Better Newspaper Contest. It took home more than 25 awards and was named Best in Division for Division B.
Last month’s sale of the Daily News to Adams Publishing Group signaled the end of Eymann’s tenure as publisher. He stayed on for a month following the sale, as the newspaper transitioned to new leadership. Todd Colling, who has been with the Daily News since 1999, has been named its new general manager.
So what’s next for Eymann? “Gone fishin’.”
