Daily Herald's Town Square Publications buys Lawton Publishing

Town Square Publications, a subsidiary of Paddock Publications, announced Wednesday that it has purchased the assets of Lawton Publishing, the chamber publishing division of Lawton Printing in Spokane, Washington.

The purchase broadens Town Square's national footprint in chamber of commerce publishing. Town Square, which already has strong chamber publishing relationships in Illinois, California and Texas, will now absorb Lawton Publishing's businesses in the West and Northwest U.S.

Daily Herald Chairman, Publisher and CEO Doug Ray said the purchase is in line with the company's strategic plan to grow Paddock Publications' business in new and different ways. The growing Town Square business contributes significantly to the company's revenue and profitability, he said.

"The decision to expand into the nondaily newspaper business nearly 10 years ago has proved to be an excellent one," Ray said. "Combined with the strength of the Daily Herald brand in print and digitally, events, other specialty products and commercial printing, Paddock continues to be a more diversified company, helping to sustain a brighter future for the company and its employees."

Ray's son, Scott Ray, is vice president of Town Square Publications.