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1992-93 Larry Crabtree Vernon Daily Record

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Larry L. Crabtree, 115th president, had been in the newspaper business 24 years when he was elected Texas Press Association president.

He began his newspaper career as an advertising sales representative for the Brownfield News in 1968. In high school and while attending Texas Tech University, he worked as a radio announcer, news director and sales representative.

In 1969 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and took a leave of absence from the newspaper. He served as editor of the Air Defense Monitor, the newspaper for Fort Bliss in El Paso. Crabtree spent a year in Vietnam as information officer of the engineer command and as editor of the Castle Courier.

Following military service, Crabtree joined the Lamesa Press-Reporter. He split his time between sports reporting, advertising sales and pressroom duties.

In 1972 he became publisher and part owner of the Hood County News in Granbury. During his four-year management, it was converted to a semiweekly and tripled in size.

Crabtree and his associates in Roberts Publishing Co. purchased The Vernon Daily Record in 1976 and he serves as publisher. He also supervises newspaper operations at the Quanah Tribune-Chief and Burkburnet Informer Star. He added the Clay County Leader in 2009.

He is married to Judy Pinnell and the couple has a daughter and a son.

He was president of West Texas Press Association in 1979-80.