MEDIA RELEASE

The public is invited to a luncheon talk at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Wednesday, Feb. 25 with Dennis Francis.

Francis is president of Oahu Publications, Inc., and in charge of Black Press Group Ltd.’s operations in Hawaii. He serves as President of both Hawaii Tribune-Herald and West Hawaii Today, which were acquired by Black Press Group in 2014.

In 2010, he led the consolidation of Oahu’s two daily newspapers, the Star-Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser and serves as publisher of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Francis will talk about the future of newspapers in general, and the vision for Hawaii Island’s two newspapers in particular.

Francis has more than 30 years of senior newspaper management experience in markets that include Ohio, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., Vermont and Hawaii. He was honored as a Gannett Top 10 Executive of the Year for Performance in 1996, 1998 and 2001. Francis is active in several Oahu organizations.

The luncheon talk is sponsored by Big Island Press Club and Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with a buffet lunch at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel’s Mala Ikena Room on the lobby level, with Francis’ talk and a question and answer period.

The cost is $30 for members of Big Island Press Club, Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and $35 for all others.

Reservations are due by Feb. 18, by calling the HICC office at 808-935-7178. The registration form may also be downloaded at www.hicc.biz