Ron Buel: CC #134 / Willamette Week's founder on the state of journalism in Oregon

Welcome back to World Cup Coffee and Tea for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. With me in the cupping room today is Ron Buel who was the founder of Willamette Week in the days when journalism was made on paper. He has a unique perspective on the history of journalism in Oregon, and of the current state of it because he has seen it all…and participated. If you’re wondering where the music angle is, there isn’t one. We’re expanding the scope of Coffeeshop Conversations…mostly on music, but not completely. If I’m going to keep you interested in the podcast, I have to keep me interested and I’m very interested in hearing what Ron Buel has to say, particularly about what he sees for the future of journalism in general and Oregon in particular. Ronald A. Buel, President and Chief Executive Officer. Ron is a seasoned veteran of start-up businesses. Most recently he served as CEO of Morgan Connector Corp. Prior to that Ron spent 13 years at Nike, where he rose to the position of Director of Business and Strategic Planning, directly responsible to Nike’s President. In 1974 he founded Willamette Week, Portland’s renowned, Pulitzer Prize-winning alternative weekly newspaper, which Ron edited and published for eight years. Ron is active in local and state affairs and has served on many community boards including, Tri-Met and Human Solutions.