Rea presented Golden 50 award

MONTGOMERY – Glenn Rea, publisher of the Cuero Record, was honored with the Golden 50 Award for exemplary service and selfless contributions to journalism for 50 or more years at the TPA Newspaper Leadership Retreat at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa. 

Rea, the outgoing president of the association and emcee of the July 17 luncheon, presented the award to himself in an excessively modest manner. On July 18, Jim Moser and Rea’s wife Carrie presented the award again during the awards brunch.

“We are going off script now, as Glenn would say,” said Moser.

Rea began his journalism career in the 1960s with a newspaper route for the Andrews County News. In high school he was photo editor for the school newspaper and yearbook as well as photographer for the Andrews County News. 

Rea received his first taste of journalistic fame when he snapped a shot of students continuing to play basketball during a tornado warning with the twister in the background. The photo was picked up on the national wire services. 

Rea continued to work with the Andrews County publisher during his college years and joined the Hood County News in 1971. In 1981, he was named publisher of the Azle News-Advertiser and Springtown Epigraph, and in 1987 he was named publisher of The Cuero Record. 

Rea served on the boards of West Texas Press Association and North and East Texas Press Association. He was president of the Gulf Coast Press Association in 2001 and president of South Texas Press Association in 2009. 

Rea has been involved with TPA for 45 years and has been on the board of directors for four regional press associations. He was appointed to TPA’s board in 2013 and completed his term as president on June 18.

Rea said his longevity in the community newspaper business is directly proportional to the quality of his peers and family.

“The support and encouragement of family and friends has allowed me to enjoy a career like no other,” said Rea.

He said in 50 years he was privileged to work with some great people publishing 4,185 editions.