[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 130 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING JERRY L. REPPERT ON BEING NAMED THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER 
                              ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 7, 2005

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join 
me in recognizing Jerry L. Reppert, who recently was appointed as 
president of the National Newspaper Association.
  The National Newspaper Association, created in 1885, represents 
owners, publishers and editors of America's community newspapers and is 
the largest newspaper association in the United States, currently 
having more than 3,200 members. As President of the NNA, Mr. Reppert 
will be responsible for protecting, promoting and enhancing America's 
community newspapers.
  Prior to election as President, Mr. Reppert held several other 
positions within NNA, including Vice President, State Chairman, 
Regional Director and Government Affairs Director. In addition, Mr. 
Reppert has made important contributions to the newspaper publishing 
business in Southern Illinois, having served as president of the 
Southern Illinois Editorial Association and the Illinois Press 
Association, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the 
Illinois Press Foundation, the fund-raising arm of the Illinois Press 
Association. He continues to serve as the foundation's President to 
this day.
  Jerry L. Reppert first began his career in managing newspapers by 
becoming editor of the Gazette-Democrat, a community newspaper run by 
his family, based in Anna, Illinois. Mr. Reppert greatly expanded the 
small, weekly newspaper into Reppert Publications, which published 
weekly newspapers throughout Southern Illinois, including the Cairo 
Citizen in Cairo, the Navigator-Journal and Prairie Post in Grayville 
and Albion, the Tri-County Record in Dongola. Reppert Publications also 
published numerous specialty publications, several of which have 
received honors by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and 
Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism.
  In addition to his pursuits in publishing, Mr. Reppert has also been 
successful in many other enterprises. He is a founder of Anna-Jonesboro 
Cable TV and constructed a cable television system for it. In 1971 he 
opened his own furniture company: Reppert Office Furniture. He also 
served 20 years in the United States Navy Reserve and attained the rank 
of lieutenant commander.
  Mr. Reppert and his wife, Dianne, have two daughters and two 
grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in an expression of 
congratulations to Mr. Jerry Reppert for his election to lead the 
National Newspaper Association and offer our best wishes during his 
tenure as President.

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