The late Don McPherson: he saw the transformation of the printing industry from hot metal through to computerised typesetting and offset printing
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McPherson Newspapers chairman, Don McPherson, has died at the age of 79. He had been admitted to hospital as a result of a short illness and died early May 23. The son of Stanley Roy and Edith McPherson, he is survived by wife Bet, sons Paul, Ross and Chris, daughter Julia, and eight grandchildren.A former Rotarian and Apexian, Mr McPherson was made a life senator of the Jaycee movement and had a long involvement in Freemasonry.
He managed the McPherson Newspapers group, publishers of The News at Shepparton, Victoria, through a time of significant business expansion and technological change in the 1960s and 1970s.
In his lifetime, he saw the transformation of the printing industry from hot metal through to computerised typesetting and offset printing.
McPherson served with the Royal Australian Air Force in the Pacific theatre in World War II before returning to Australia to assist his father Roy, who became ill in 1946.
He served on a number of state and national printing and publishing industry bodies.
He was a past president and life member of the Victorian Country Press Association and Country Press Australia.
McPherson took over as managing director of the business when his father died in 1960, and retired from the position in 1985.
He continued as chairman of directors after handing over the day-to-day running of the business to sons Paul, Ross and Chris.
The News has been in the hands of the McPherson family since 1888.
Former National Party state leader Peter Ross-Edwards said McPherson had been a good friend for 50 years and a man who would be missed by the Shepparton community.
With acknowledgements to The News, Shepparton, Vic.
