Don Rush, assistant publisher for The Clarkston News, was elected the new president of Community Papers of Michigan (CPM), a statewide trade association.
“Don Rush is an excellent choice to lead our association,” said CPM Executive Director Jack Guza. “Don has been a Board Member of CPM for the past four years, and is a true believer in the power of print, in particular, community newspapers.”
CPM recently conducted their election of Board Officers, electing Rush to serve as president to lead the association for a three-year term. The election took place during CPM’s final board meeting of 2016, conducted at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center located on the Michigan State University Campus, East Lansing.
Rush, a 1981 Clarkston High School graduate, is assistant publisher of Sherman Publications, Inc. (S.P.I.) based in Oxford and oversees day-to-day operations at S.P.I.’s office in Clarkston.  Sherman Publications publishes four community newspapers, The Clarkston News, The Oxford Leader, The Lake Orion Review and The Citizen in Ortonville; as well as two shoppers, The Penny Stretcher and The Ad-Vertiser, and a 50,000-plus circulation coupon magazine, The Big Deal. The publishing group serves communities, advertisers and readers within northeastern Oakland County and beyond.

“Don is known within the state and the country as a true advocate and cheerleader for our industry,” Guza said. “He gained notoriety during a recent national community paper conference for his former podcast ‘Don’t Rush Me, The Sh-o-o-ow!’, which featured Don providing colorful commentary regarding the value, reach and importance of highly local community publications for readers, advertisers and communities. The podcast was considered a first in our industry.”
Rush grew up in Clarkston, resides in Goodrich and has two teenaged sons, Shamus and Sean.
Rush pens a weekly column, ‘Don’t Rush Me,’ which has won awards both in the state and nationally; he has also received awards for feature and editorial writing and photography. He has worked in all aspects of the community paper industry, including spending time as editor for all their newspapers, circulation, dark room work, page design and ad composition, managing a sales department, and working on a five-unit Community Goss press as a “printer’s devil.”
“Mr. James Sherman, Sr. hired me right after I graduated from Central Michigan University, as a reporter. Soon I was promoted to editor of The Leader, then to assistant publisher. Mr. Sherman said of my new title, ‘You are now a publisher. That means getting a quality product out the door, on time and at a profit. How you figure that out is your problem.’ So, I got that going for me.” Rush continued, “It will be an honor to work for the industry. Contrary to popular belief, the print industry is a viable business model. Print publications work at getting local news and advertising to readers. I think my job as president of CPM will be to help publishers get that news out to their communities and help grow their publications. I also want to take some time and get to meet the movers and shakers of our member publications over the next three years.”
Outgoing CPM President, Jon Jacobs, will serve as Past President of the association for a three-year term. Jon was recognized at the meeting with a special plaque thanking him for his many contributions to the association during his tenure. Jon is the Publisher of The Lowell Ledger and Lowell Buyers Guide in Lowell. Rush said, “Jon was born into community papers, it’s in his blood. He is a strong community leader in Lowell and an innovator in the industry. He is never afraid try something new; he is a true asset to our industry.”
Marty Bennett, of Otsego, was elected vice president of CPM for a three-year term and is a long-serving Board Member of the association. Marty is a third-generation owner of The Community Shoppers Guide in Otsego, a weekly shopping guide that serves readers and advertisers in portions of Allegan, Barry, Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties.
Fred Jacobs was re-elected as secretary-treasurer of Community Papers of Michigan. Fred is the longest-serving Board Member of CPM and is the owner and CEO of J-Ad Graphics, based in Hastings. J-Ad Graphics publishes eight weekly community newspapers; two paid weekly newspapers; a new children’s publication with circulation throughout western Michigan K-5th grade.
CPM is the trade association representing 106 community newspapers and shopping guides across Michigan with a combined weekly circulation of over 2.1 million.

  Community Papers of Michigan, don rush