The Banner Has New Owners

McKENZIE (SEPTEMBER 29, 2023) — On Friday, Tri-County Publishing, Inc. (TCP) dba The McKenzie Banner started a new chapter in its history of operation, ownership of the newspaper and printing company transferred from Joel and Teresa Washburn to their daughter, Brittany M. Martin, and son-in-law, Jason R. Martin at the law offices of Washburn and Hutcherson in Dresden, Tenn.

Joel has served as the editor, writer, photographer, owner, and operator and has been a familiar face at every major event in the area for 40+ years. Teresa has served as bookkeeper and business manager since 2014.

Both will continue to serve part-time at the newspaper in their respective roles for the company.

With Friday’s transfer of ownership, Brittany assumed the role of publisher of The McKenzie Banner and president of TCP, making her the third generation of the Washburns to hold those titles. Jason assumed the role of vice president of the corporation and will continue as manager and operator of the commercial printing side of the company.

Though the title of owner has shifted, the business traditions remain the same. Brittany and Jason are dedicated to providing a high level of service while keeping quality at the forefront. They will continue to operate the newspaper and printing company in the same location that the newspaper has held for over 100 years, 3 Banner Row in downtown McKenzie, at the corner of Banner Row and Main Street (office located upstairs).

The Washburn family’s involvement with the newspaper started in 1948 when James L. Washburn started working as a “printer’s devil.”

The term “printer’s devil” serves to describe the position as an apprentice to a master printer; the origins came from parts of apprentices’ skin inevitably being stained black by the ink, and the worn and broken lead type was thrown into a hellbox, which the printer’s devil must take to the furnace for melting and recasting.

James, the son of a sharecropper, had recently returned to Tennessee after serving in WWII in Occupied Japan. James and his wife, Ramona raised their two sons, Jeff and Joel, in the business.

Joel has spent his entire life around the newspaper and has been a full-time employee of TCP since June 1979 when he returned after graduating from Union University. He has served in almost every position from paperboy to printer’s devil all the way to publisher.

Like her father, Brittany has spent her entire life around the newspaper, but it was her dream to work for a daily newspaper in a big city. In 2008, the recession hit. So in 2009, after graduating from MTSU with a degree in Journalism: Media Design, Brittany returned to the Banner for a year, looking for work in Middle Tennessee. She eventually landed at CPOC, a design hub prototype owned by Gannett of three daily newspapers and one weekly (The Daily News Journal, The Jackson Sun, The Leaf-Chronicle and the Stewart-Houston Times). She worked there for 7 months and after a series of events that could best be explained as divine intervention, it was time to move home. She has been employed full-time at The Banner as a graphic designer and composition supervisor since May 2011.

Jason joined the company in 2015 and serves as commercial print manager, writer and part-time sales. He holds a masters degree in Education Administration from Bethel University and a masters degree in History/Humanities from Fort Hays State University. Jason is a Carroll County commissioner, McKenzie Rotary Club president and vice-chairman of the McKenzie Chamber of Commerce. He writes the Weekly 150 article that reflects on local and Tennessee history.

Attorney Jeff Washburn, Joel’s brother and a former co-owner of TCP, prepared the documents for the ownership shift. Jeff also worked in the newspaper in McKenzie as a writer, photographer, pressman and assumed the role of editor of the Dresden Enterprise in the 1970s, where he worked until 2019. He is also a paramedic.

History of TCP, McKenzie Banner
Originally published in the Experience LOCAL magazine July 2023.

Since 1870, The McKenzie Banner has served as McKenzie’s newspaper and oldest continuously operated business. The newspaper was named the McKenzie Times; Camillus Hawkins as editor/publisher.

By 1884 the McKenzie Times changed hands and became the Tri-County News with Tri-County Sun. The publishers were Gilbert & Cannon. Over the next 16 years, there were several owners and name changes.

In 1900, the Tri-County Sun portion of the company name was dropped and the newspaper was solely the McKenzie Herald.

Dr. J.E. Goldsby, a local physician, purchased the newspaper in 1901.

From 1907 to 1915, the McKenzie Herald took its modern moniker The McKenzie Banner. David A. Burkhalter and W.A. Rurb held the titles of publishers and editors. In 1924, E.G. Ward and B.B. Fowler were co-publishers with Fowler as the editor.

In June 1936, Lucian A. Woodson became the publisher. He was employed at the newspaper for five years before being named publisher, his lifelong dream. He served as publisher only one week before dying suddenly.

From 1936 to 1941, The Banner was published by Curtis C. Moody with a variety of editors. The newspaper was taken over by J.E. Laney in 1941.

From May 1949 to May 1968, J. Frank Barlow owned The McKenzie Banner. Under Barlow, the newspaper operation expanded with the purchase of the Dresden Enterprise and more focus on growing the commercial print side.

On April 1, 1968, the paper sold once again. This sale provided the beginnings of the paper’s longest run by one family. James L. Washburn, who had worked for the paper since 1948, partnered with J. Frank’s son, Karl.

In 1978, James and Karl formed the Tri-County Publishing, Inc. corporation, the parent company of The McKenzie Banner, Dresden Enterprise and the commercial printing company. The Washburn-Barlow partnership lasted until July 11, 1980.

In July, Washburn purchased Barlow’s shares in the business. Under Washburn’s leadership, the newspaper converted from manual to computer typesetting.

In failing health, Washburn named his son, Joel, managing editor of The McKenzie Banner. When James died in February 1985, his wife, Ramona, was bequeathed his half of the company. Ramona, Jeff and Joel were co-owners together for 30 years. Jeff was managing editor of the Dresden Enterprise.

Mrs. Washburn held the title of publisher from 1985 until April 2015 when brothers Joel and Jeff purchased their mother’s half of the company. Ramona held the title of Publisher Emerita until her death on June 28, 2021.

September 2019 saw a shift in ownership as Joel bought his brother’s shares of Tri-County Publishing, Inc. becoming sole owner. Joel sold the Dresden Enterprise in 2020.

Joel has served in almost every position at the newspaper from paperboy to printer’s devil all the way to publisher. He has spent his entire life around the newspaper and returned full-time in June 1979 after graduating from Union University.

Teresa came to work at the newspaper part-time in 2014, bringing her 35+ years of accounting background. She serves as the bookkeeper and business manager for the company.

They have one daughter, Brittany (Washburn) Martin who started in 2009 after graduating from MTSU; spent an additional year working in Middle Tennessee; then returned full-time to the newspaper in May 2011.

Brittany serves as a graphic designer and manager, helping her parents.

Brittany’s husband, Jason Martin, joined the family business in 2015 and serves as print shop manager, writer and part-time sales.

Jason and Brittany have two children, Charles “CJ” and Savannah.

The McKenzie Banner is 153 years old; it started five years after the Civil War ended. The newspaper has survived wars, depressions, and pandemics to still be here today celebrating the successes with our readers.

Thank you for reading and supporting this small business.