From Staff Reports
board for several years. Sheila served her country in the Army Reserves.
“I am truly honored to be a part of the Oklahoma Press Association and to serve as the president. There have been many before me that have shown great leadership in our organization and we will continue to do so over the next year and into the future,” Gay said.
'The newspaper industry faces big challenges, but we are up to the task of meeting each one and going into the future in a position of strength.
“In addition to being a watchdog over government, newspapers are also one of the main sources of a community's history, telling the stories that will last forever. Telling those stories is a job none of us take lightly.”
In the community, Gay serves on the Chamber of Commerce board of directors and is president of The Pregnancy Center. She also works with the homeless shelter and in the past has been involved with the Main Street Organization and is active in the United Fund.
She and her husband John, have three children, Chelsea, J.C. and Ty. They also have five grandchildren: Kaden, Acelynn, Nova, Dagan, and Mason.
Also elected at the business meeting were Shauna Belyeu, general manager of The Eufaula Indian Journal, as vice president. David Stringer, publisher of The Lawton Constitution, was elected to serve a second one-year term as treasurer. Rainbolt will serve a oneyear term as immediate past president.
Elected board appointments include Suzie Campbell, publisher of the Countywide & Sun, who will fulfill the third year of a three-year term, and Ed Choate, publisher of Muskogee Phoenix, who will fulfill a second and third year of a three-year term. New directors elected to a three-year term are Mike Sherman, executive editor at Oklahoma Watch, and Brett Wesner, owner of Wesner Publications. Also on the board is Erin Dyer Thompson, co-publisher and advertising director of the El Reno Tribune.