Fryar resigns as Southern Standard publisher
Fryar is accepting a job with Nashville-based American Hometown Publishing as senior vice president of operations. American Hometown Publishing, a two-year-old company, owns five newspapers. Fryar’s main responsibilities will be overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company’s existing newspapers, and aiding in the acquisition of newspapers throughout the Southeast.
“From the time I came on board as publisher at the Standard in March of 1980, I’m very pleased with what we’ve been able to accomplish,” said Fryar. “It’s been a challenge in Warren County because this area has always been a rural, somewhat weak economy. There have been times when the economy here has made surges, but with recent plant closures we’re heading back into a period of uncertainty and that makes it more difficult.”
Fryar began his career working as an advertising representative for the Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro in 1976. By 1978, he was promoted to retail advertising manager.
Fryar was so successful, he made the leap from advertising manager to publisher of the Southern Standard in 1980. In 1992, he received another promotion when he was named regional vice president for all of Morris Newspaper’s Tennessee properties.
“It was really kind of amazing the way it all started,” said Fryar. “I started selling advertising in Murfreesboro because I needed a job and I was bitten by the newspaper bug. I loved it. There’s a lot to be said for having ink in your blood. It stays with you.”
Fryar’s promotion to publisher after just four years in the newspaper business is very much an aberration. Publisher’s titles are normally reserved for employees who spend decades working their way up the ranks, not relative newcomers.
American Hometown Publishing was started two years ago by Dan Hammond, who is the current CEO. Hammond is responsible for starting American Profile, a Sunday magazine that’s inserted in community newspapers around the country, including the Standard.
“I’m proud they thought enough of me as a newspaper executive to seek me out for this job,” said Fryar. “They approached me two years ago about this and it’s a chance for me to get in on the ground floor of a growing company.
“This is a good fit for me. I’ve had job offers in other towns that would have required me to leave McMinnville, but that’s something I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want to uproot my family. This allows me to stay in this community, and it feels like it’s the right fit for me.”
Fryar’s last day at the Standard will be Dec. 16. When he starts his new job, one of his first duties will be meeting the publishers at the five newspapers owned by American Hometown Publishing. The company owns two small daily newspapers in Oklahoma, and three non-daily newspapers in the south western area of Virginia.
“Our focus is community newspapers, not the newspapers in large, metropolitan areas,” said Fryar. “We think the future is very bright for community newspapers. Their circulation continues to grow, while the circulation of the larger newspapers is on the decline.
“We hope to grow and acquire more newspapers, and certainly we’d like to acquire a community newspaper in Tennessee. We’ll be looking at papers with at least 2,500 to 3,000 circulation where there is a good deal of upside.”
During his tenure as Standard publisher, Fryar has held a number of leadership roles with the Tennessee Press Association, including his current role as president of Tennessee Press Association Foundation.
He’s a past president of Tennessee Press Association, past state chairman of the National Newspaper Association, and past president of Tennessee Press Service.
As for community leadership roles, Fryar is a past two-term president of the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, and past president of the Rotary Club of McMinnville.
Ron and his wife, Becky, have four daughters, Cole, Sarah, Tess and Eden.