Newspaper group to move national office to Missouri

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The National Newspaper Association has said it would move its headquarters to Columbia, Mo., site of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The newspaper association also said it had reached an agreement with American PressWorks Inc. of Arlington, Va., to operate an NNA office in the Washington, D.C., area.

The Missouri School of Journalism provides management services for other journalism associations including the Society of Business Editors and Writers and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

American PressWorks is an Arlington-based management and public affairs firm that provides management and consulting services to numerous groups in the communications and nonprofit fields.

The association's board believed a lower-cost operating market and a location closer to its core membership would strengthen the group's member services, said NNA President Kenneth H. Rhoades, president of Enterprise Publishing Co. in Blair, Neb.

Dean Mills, dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, said the school is delighted to work with the NNA.

"We believe it is a natural partnership for the school, one that we believe will strengthen both partners' ability to serve U.S. journalism," Mills said.

The transition will begin in February. The association expects to operate with interim staff through the summer and hire an executive director in March. When the transition is complete, the NNA will be an independent operation but work closely with the school on various programs.