The Item from Sumter, South Carolina • 25

INSIDE: Stocks 3D Opinion 4D Sunday Business i To contact Item Business Writer Bethany Fuller call (803) 774-1272 or e-mail Business OTheltem com SUNDAY AUGUST 21 2005 II) 'Oi Kyle Brown Osteen left John Duvall Osteen (Jack) center and Hubert Graham Osteen II (Graham) are taking on new roles as part of Osteen Publishing Co Their father Hubert Duvall Osteen Jr standing Is relliv qulshing his positions as company president and publisher of The Item but will stay on as company chairman and the editor 5th generation takes next step Patriarch of Osteen family moves sons into key managerial positions By KEN BELL tinue to serve as editor and pub- The grand re-opening of The Sumter Dally Hern after the fire In 1965 was made official on Jan 6 1967 when Hubert Graham Osteen II (Gra Item City Editor lisher of The Messenger and will ham) the great-grandson of the founder of The Item clipped the ribbon at the entrance of the new facility at 20 Magnolia Street From left oversee the entire news opera- are Graham his parents Jackie and Hubert Duvall Osteen Jr Mayor Robert Graham Margaret Weeks Osteen wife of the publisher Gov Osteen Publishing Co has an- tion for Osteen Publishing Co Robert McNair Congressman Tom Gettys editor and publisher Hubert Duvall Osteen Sr Sen Strom Thurmond WM Hodge chairman of nounced key leadership changes both in print and online Kyle Os- the Sumter County Board ef Commissioners and Sen Ernest Hollings that will become effective Sept 1 teen 41 will oversee production Hubert Osteen Jr chair- and operation issues for the corn- man and president of the family- pany and continue to serve as owned company is relinquishing president of SCnetSolutions the his title as president and has division he started in 1999 As conamed his two oldest sons Gra- presidents the two will share reham and Kyle Osteen co-presi- sponsibilities for managing all as- dents He will also be stepping pects of the company down as publisher of The Item the Graham Osteen said the com-110-year-old daily publication but pany has a bright future and he is will still be serving as the news- excited to be an integral part of editor a position he has moving it forward held since 1972 going to continue im- Jack Osteen his youngest son proving our printed products and will take over responsibilities as put even more emphasis on the publisher of The Item online he said The changes coincide with 150 add an online editor who will up- years of the involvement date and enhance the Web sites in newspaper journalism and our links to other information The company publishes The more frequently also add a Item a daily component to newspaper founded in 1894 The the mix Better communication Messenger a 6500-circulation with readers enhances our public twice-weekly newspaper in service role as watchdogs mainly Hartsville that was founded in because the paper is more acces- 1893 and owns and operates SC- sible to all citizens netSolutions the Internet net- throwing out much of working and Web development di- the old business he vision of the company In addition added focusing on finding the company does commercial the most effective ways to serve printing for many other publica- all segments of the community tions of varying sizes both in print and Hubert Osteen 68 has served Osteen said the newspaper as chairman and president of the will be more responsive to read-company since 1996 and took on ers in the future as well as additional role of publisher of tinue to develop a strong managers Item in 1985 He will also con- ment team narrow the tinue in his role as chairman of focus and work more with our de-Osteen Publishing Co partment Osteen said although his du- Kyle Osteen said he is excited ties will change he retiring by the growth opportunities will be reducing my day-to- ahead day management responsibilities are very optimistic about so that my three sons can more the future of the areas around effectively pursue their visions Sumter and Hartsville and feel for the betterment and strength- that there will be new growth opening of our company I will be portunities for Osteen Publishing stepping back but not stepping he said down" Graham Osteen 44 will con- SEE CHANGES PAGE 8D Item City Editor The Item under the direction of the Osteen family has long been regarded one of South top daily newspapers both in and around the state The Messenger Hartsville has garnered the same type of an image Together they brought home 41 South Carolina Press Association Awards this year a record for the company The awards serve as a testament to the work ethic instilled by the present leadership and those that preceded them As The Item approaches its 111th anniversary and the Osteen family celebrates 150 years in journalism the reins of leadership are being passed to the fifth generation one of the longest continuous lines of family-owned newspapers in the country The Item is the only daily publication in South Carolina under the ownership of the original family Hubert Osteen Jr the current chairman of Osteen Publishing said he is confident the move is a good one fortunate to have worked with my father for more than 20 he said hope my boys have learned a lot from me in my more than 40 years here I have confidence in them to move this company He said the tradition of solid leadership is one that began in the fall of 1855 when 12-year-old Noah Graham Osteen Hubert great-grandfather sought a job at The Sumter Watchman the town of only newspaper a weekly A A Gilbert one of the co-owners of The Watchman reluctantly agreed to hire him on a trial basis The trial run was successful and Noah entered into a five-year apprenticeship mentor and later partner in other newspaper ventures was Darr who taught Noah the printing trade the South Carolina Press Association 1985 Hubert Graham Osteen II returned to Osteen Publishing Co as Item city editor 1 935-1 993 Hubert Duvall Osteen Jr served as president of the South Carolina Press Association Foundation 1986 Noah Graham Osteen inducted into South Carolina Press Association Hall of Fame I Aug 2 1 987 First Sunday edition of The Item published 1991 Kyle Brown Osteen returns to Osteen Publishing Co as advertising director of The Item 1 1993 Hubert Duvall Osteen Sr inducted into South Carolina Press Association Hall of Fame Cct 151 894 The Item was founded 1921 Fire destroyed The offices on West Liberty Street No editions missed 1 922 Hubert Graham Osteen served as president of One South Carolina Press Association 5- i 1953 Hubert DuvaQ Osteen Sr served as president of the South Carolina Press Association 1 953 Offices of The Item moved to its current location at the comer of Hampton Avenue and Magnolia Street Jt' a 1965 Fire destroyed offices No editions missed i a 1 Hubert Graham Osteen inducted into South Carolina Press Association Hail of Fame a 1995 Hubert Graham Osteen II served as president of the South Carolina Associated Press News Council a 1997 John Duvall Osteen (Jack) returns to Osteen Publishing Co as publisher of The Islander a weekly publication serving the seven sea islands along the coast of South Carolina i 1999 SCnetSolutions a division of Osteen Publishing Co was formed March 29 2002 Last afternoon publication of The Item The Saturday and Sunday editions were already morning publications April 1 2002 First Monday morning edition of The Item a 2004-present Hubert Graham Osteen li began serving as president of the South Carolina Press Association 1 977 Hubert Duvall Osteen Jr served as president of a Osteen Publishing Co bought The Messenger.