Midlands Business Journal founder Hoig dies at 86

Bob Hoig

Bob Hoig, who launched the Omaha-based Midlands Business Journal in 1975, died Monday at the age of 86.

Michael Kelly of The Omaha World-Herald writes, “He later wrote for the Lincoln Journal, the Miami Daily News and United Press International before joining The World-Herald in 1969, covering crime and corruption. He also wrote of lax security procedures for sex offenders at the then-Nebraska State Hospital in Lincoln, which led to changes in state law.

“In 1972 he became editor of the Douglas County Gazette, and in 1975 he founded the Midlands Business Journal.

“He also started other publications, including the Lincoln Business Journal. And in 1996, he sold the Metro magazine to daughter Andee, who still publishes it every other month, covering Omaha philanthropic, cultural and nonprofit activities.

“‘I kind of caught the bug from him,’ she said. ‘I learned so much about the publishing business indirectly from him.'”

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Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.