Fresno Biz Journal publisher Webster hits 50 years

Gordon Webster Jr., the publisher of the Fresno Business Journal, is celebrating 50 years with the publication.

Gabriel Dillard of the Business Journal writes, “By 1981, he assumed the role of publisher when the paper was known as the Fresno Daily Report.

“Gordie was an early adopter, carving out a business-to-business niche in the Central Valley and embracing the World Wide Web as part of a rebranding in 1992, when he transformed the family business into The Business Journal we know today.

“As the fourth generation to run Pacific Publishing Group, Inc., Gordie received the full buy-in from his family to create an entire editorial news team devoted to business news with a focus on the C-Suite. It was a departure from the strictly documental news — liens, civil cases, fictitious names — the business had printed since its inception in 1886.

“‘That was a big change for us,’ Gordie said. ‘I’m happy my grandfather (Norman A. Webster) and father (Gordon M. Webster, Sr.) were still alive. They said ‘we think you’re on the right track. Go for it.’’

“The transition to digital began well before 1997, when ‘thebusinessjournal.com’ was registered and The Business Journal began covering news online.

“It will be an all-digital landscape the fifth-generation Webster — Ashley Webster Rudolph — will operate in as she prepares to take the reins as publisher.”

Read more here.