John Hueston, partner purchase Eganville Leader

Aylmer Express owner John Hueston and his partner Ray Stanton, owner of London Publishing Corp. have purchased The Eganville Leader from Gerald Tracey, its owner/publisher. Mr. Hueston said The Leader is one of the best and most successful newspapers in the country. From a population of about 1,500, they sell 5,000 newspapers a week.

Mr. Hueston and Mr. Tracey have been very close friends about 40 years, since a military press junket centred in Lahr, Germany where they shared some intense experiences over several weeks.

Mr. Tracey, Mr. Stanton and Mr. Hueston have been friends and business associates through the Ontario Community Newspaper Association of which Mr. Stanton is a former president.

“It took a while to put this one to bed but Ray finally orchestrated a mutually-satisfactory deal that should see the Ottawa Valley readers, from Pembroke to Renfrew, continue to get the same excellent product,” said Mr. Hueston.

“Gerald and his excellent staff provide a top-quality product to attract a good advertising base and thousands of supportive readers. We don’t intend any changes and Gerald is staying on for a couple of years to ease the transition.”

“Gerald and Ray are my two closest and most respected members in the association.” Gerald and his brother Ron developed a provincial and national award-winning legacy in Eganville and we’ll see that honoured and continued.”

Mr. Hueston said he has been a Leader reader for many years.

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In an interview with Leader staff writer Terry Fleurie, Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, who represents the riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London and coincidentally operates a farm near Eganville where he has family roots, said he was delighted to learn Mr. Stanton and Mr. Hueston had bought the paper.

“I’m thrilled that the Eganville Leader will carry on its great tradition as it has for the past 123 years. I know both these gentlemen; they’re great newspaper men in the province, owning great weeklies throughout the province.

“John (Mr. Hueston) owns the Aylmer Express in my riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London, and it is the paper for Elgin County, much like the Leader is for Renfrew County, so there are like minds there.

“John is a class act, he’s a gentleman, a great businessman, and a great newspaperman,” he continued.

He described Mr. Stanton as one of his best friends in the world.

“He’s an entrepreneur extraordinaire. He loves the newspaper business, he loves the weeklies, and that’s what makes this feel so good – you’ve got two people who are committed to print newspapers – you just don’t get your news from the internet or Google.

“You get a physical copy of the paper, that’s what everybody loves,” he added. “I like to physically read the paper.”

Minister Flack was thrilled to learn that Mr. Tracey will be staying on in some capacity moving forward.

“He is the Leader today, and both John and Ray recognize that,” he stated. “And it’s great for the employees to provide some stability going forward, and it’s great for the people of Renfrew County that they have their local news alive and well and in great financial shape.”

Mr. Hueston said this is a great fit and asset to their other businesses in London, Woodstock and North Bay.