BILL BOWMAN

Bill Bowman became a newspaper publisher in 1996 without any previous experience in the newspaper industry. He left a successful, nine-year career with Pitney Bowes Corp. to start his community s first weekly newspaper, Up & Coming Weekly. He credits his success with having enough sense to hire intelligent, enthusiastic and hard-working people. Two years after starting Up & Coming Weekly, Bowman created a unique and effective literacy and education program for young children his community. Today, Kidsville News! and his free children s newspaper program is enjoying its ninth year. During the past 18 months he has shared this concept with 62 other publishers nationwide, making it one of the fastest growing and largest literacy programs in the county with a circulation of 715,000. He currently serves as director on several local, state and national boards. Bill was the 2005 board chairman of Cumberland County United Way and is currently serving on the boards of the North Carolina Press Association, Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association (SAPA) and the United Way. He is a past board member of the Independent Free Papers of America (IFPA), the incoming president of SAPA, and serving his second year as a member of The Leadership Institute. Bowman and his wife, Merrilyn, have a grown son, Grady. A lifelong singer, dancer and actor, Grady s big break came when at the age of nine, he landed a role in the now classic Tom Hanks film, Forrest Gump. Grady headed for the bright lights of Broadway in March appearing in Broadway s newest musical, The Pirate Queen. A charter member of AFCP s Black Sheep, Bowman enjoys riding his pearl white Harley Davidson motorcycle across country. The longer the trip, the better. He is also a nationally-ranked billiards player.