Kenneth Caldean Bronson Passes Away at 77

Kenneth Caldean Bronson, 77, of Topeka, died October 25, 2010 at Homestead of Topeka. He was born April 15, 1933, the youngest of four children to Lloyd and Lottie Bierman Bronson, Kensington, KS. He graduated valedictorian from Kensington High School; was named the out-standing junior in the KU journalism school, and elected president of Sigma Delta Chi, national honorary journalism society.

 Drafted by the Navy, he served on the Boxer aircraft carrier as PIO officer producing a weekly newspaper, radio broadcasts, and the ship's final cruise book. He returned to Topeka Stauffer Publications covering sports and then the state. Graduating from Washburn University he purchased the weekly newspaper in Pierce City Mo. making it an award-winner.

He rejoined Stauffer in 1962 as editor of the Independence, Mo. newspaper, where he was president of Independence Rotary, a director of numerous boards, transferred to Pittsburg, Ks in 1966, he merged the two newspapers into The Headlight-Sun. 

 Named vice president of Stauffer newspapers in 1977 required a move to Topeka where he grew the division into 22 newspaper plants with 30 publications and started Stauffer Media Systems that became a leading vendor of newspaper software products. Stauffer presented him a plaque in 1993 for 36 years of Extraordinary Effort and Dedication to Excellence.

He became Executive Vice President and CEO of Nixon Newspapers, Peru, IN. in 1993. Retiring in 1997 he moved back to Topeka, and operated Ken Bronson Consulting through 2007. Over his career he led workshops for or spoke to many dozens of newspapers, press associations, and organizations.
On the board of directors of Kansas Press Association he was president, led the Kansas Newspaper Foundation, gave Ad Academies, was inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2002, and was three times interim director. He was a director and president of the Inland Press Assn and received the 1992 Distinguished Service Award; was president of Kansas-Missouri Associated Press editors and publishers; presided at the ANPA 1983 convention in Las Vegas; was a Mid-America Press Institute in St. Louis director and a William Allen White Foundation trustee.