Ed Sterling Retires from TPA

Texas Press Association (TPA) Member Services Director, Ed Sterling, retired July 22. Sterling was employed by TPA for 28 years. He had many duties at TPA, including editing publications and writing the well-known Capital Highlights column. “His value to the industry cannot be measured and his absence will be glaringly obvious,” Executive Director Mike Hodges said. “We wish him the very best and hope that he fully realizes how much he is loved by all members of our association.”

Aside from Capital Highlights, Sterling is conceivably best known for his part in coordinating the Midwinter Trade Show, appointing speakers, and planning other annual conventions.

“Ed Sterling is the kind of fellow you want beside you in a political knife fight,” said Donnis Baggett, executive vice president of TPA. “Most importantly, he’s a loyal, trusting, supportive friend and colleague, and I will truly miss working with him.”

Sterling joined the Coast Guard after attending the University of North Texas in Denton in the 1970s. After his time in the service, he was employed by several newspapers. He worked in the editorial department at the Canyon News, was the publisher of both the Tulia Herald and Alpine Avalanche and worked on the copy desk of the Amarillo Globe-News.

Sterling has passed the Capital Highlights torch on to Chris Cobler. According to an eNewsletter received from TPA, Cobler is an award-winning journalist, former editor/publisher of the Victoria Advocate, and before joining the Advocate in 2007, Cobler was also the editor of the Greeley (Colorado) Tribune. He launched his career at the Topeka Capital Journal as a reporter, then went on to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Fort Collins Coloradoan before becoming the managing editor at the Denton Record Chronicle.