Northern Michigan Review, Inc. President and Publisher Doug Caldwell, who has been a Michigan Press Association board member since 2010, is stepping up to assume his impending board presidency a bit earlier.

Caldwell, the current MPA Board president-elect, will take the reins of the MPA presidency Sept. 1, replacing Joe Warner. His term will last through 2017.

Warner recently announced he is leaving the newspaper business to pursue other personal and professional interests.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with the other publishers. The board has set a plan in place that will help the transition with the departure of Joe, and I’ll do my best to fulfill my role.”

Caldwell is excited about working with Michigan Press Association Executive Director Jim Tarrant.

“Jim has taken a hold of the association with a strong leadership for Michigan newspapers. I feel very confident that when they meet Jim, publishers, editors and advertising directors will appreciate his contributions to the world of journalism.”

Caldwell oversees operations at the Petoskey News-Review, Gaylord Herald Times, Charlevoix Courier, as well as four Phone Guide operations, magazines and other special publications and the company’s printing department.

Caldwell comes from an extensive newspaper background. His parents, Clif and Millie, were owners of a pair of weekly newspapers in Illinois, and he cut his teeth in the reporting, advertising and composition departments.

He has been a publisher at a number of papers, including the Du Quoin (Ill.) Evening Call, Marion (Ill.) Daily Republican, Rensselaer (Ind.) Republican, Columbia City (Ind.) Post and Mail, Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier, Somerset (Pa.) Daily American and the Petoskey group. He was president and publisher in Somerset, in addition to in Michigan.

Caldwell has seen a lot of things change in the business during his career, but the mission of the local newspaper and association remains the same.

“The importance of local content and advertising that has value and matters to the people in our communities is the same for larger dailies and weekly papers. We are the watchdog, cheerleader, provider of important information and a historical document. It is vitally important that we keep local governments honest and transparent. As we work to provide a blend of print and digital, we will focus on our role as being the No. 1 advocate for the citizens of Michigan.”

Caldwell is married to Mary Ann and has three sons — Michael, who lives in Omaha; Curtis, who lives in Lewistown Pa.; and Colin, who is a junior at St. Michael Academy in Petoskey.