The Greenville (Ill.) Advocate has been sold by owners Jay Endress and Paula Endress. Effective March 1, ownership of the 4,000-circulation, twice-weekly newspaper, transferred to Centralia Publishing Ltd., which owns several newspapers in adjacent counties in central Illinois.
"It's a perfect fit because the new owners are a local, family-owned business," said Jay Endress. "That's been the hallmark of the Greenville Advocate since its founding in 1858."
John Perrine, president and publisher of the Centralia Morning Sentinel, said "Greenville is a remarkable small town. Jay and Paula Endress, and the Reeves family before them, have established a legacy of outstanding community journalism here. We hope to live up to that tradition and become a part of the Greenville community." Perrine said the new general manager will be Ron Smith, who has more than 30 years' experience in the newspaper industry.
The Greenville Advocate was established in 1858 and is the oldest business in Bond County. The newspaper's founder, Jediah Alexander, was a friend of Abraham Lincoln and was instrumental in bringing the future president to speak in Greenville that same year.
Centralia Publishing Ltd. also publishes the Centralia Morning Sentinel, Mt. Vernon Morning Sentinel, Salem Times-Commoner and Carlyle Union Banner. They also own WCXO radio station in Carlyle. The Centralia Morning Sentinel was established in 1863. It has been owned by the Joy and Perrine families since 1888 and is currently in its fifth generation of family ownership.
Grimes, McGovern & Associates, a leading mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, represented the sellers in the transaction.
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