Editor, Publisher Foster marks 80th year

17. Nov, 2011 0 Comments

Publisher & Editor Bill Foster has 66 years publishing newspapers while promoting Waco. Some consider him a legend. He received his 50 year award from the Texas Press Association years ago. He is married and has two great girls Cheryl and Jennifer. And Jenniffer and her husband have two of the greatest kids ever. Foster was born on South Fifth so he knows everything about Waco and the fast growing suburbs. His 80th birthday is this Sunday, November 20th.
Foster attended Waco Tech High School. Since then he has taken courses at Baylor, A&M, TCU and short courses at other colleges. At Baylor he learned photography and later some computer courses. The Texas Press helps all newspaper people keep up with the latest technology and sales tips.

Over the years he has traveled with the military to Germany, Nellis AFB, South Carolina and San Diego twice. Foster likes to travel and can probably tell you a little bit about every town in Texas. In 1943-45 he traveled with his dad when he had five newspapers in West and South Texas. Foster is one of four kids in the Foster family. His dad came to Baylor in 1917, and graduated with an English degree. He tried teaching at West Station but returned quickly to the newspaper business.
In 1921 a fellow student was Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski.
Foster’s dad worked at the Waco American, Tribune Herald, Waco Record, Dallas Times Herald and Dallas Morning News. He became a lawyer in 1935. He was also a member ITU–Int. Typographical Union. He represented Waco as a state representative in 1944.

Publisher Foster considers this the best of times in the newspaper business, with the new computers and color printing. Now the Citizen is expanding their website with the goal to be the best in Waco. It will still be free while others are charging. We won’t give you everything that’s in the paper on the web site. Mainly teasers. Of course, our subscription prices are low so everyone can get it in the mail.
Next challenge is to learn Facebook, Twitter and Google+. All the computers have been upgraded to “In Design” to layout ads and the newspaper pages.
Foster helped guide First United Methodist Church through its 150th anniversary and installed a history marker on the river where the first services were held. Foster also promoted boat, RV shows and Miss Waco for 25 years. He has been a Lions Club member for 50 years.
Come by and get some birthday cake.