Downstate law professor elected to Paddock board

Thomas C. Britton, emeritus law professor at Southern Illinois University, has been elected to the board of directors of Paddock Publications, Inc., owners of the Daily Herald Media Group and the downstate Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group.

His appointment strengthens the Paddock's expertise in downstate Illinois where the employee-owned company has been expanding its newspaper holdings.

"The company has many needs," said Douglas K. Ray, chairman, CEO and publisher, "and the current composition of the board of directors addresses many of them - foremost, the commitment to quality journalism, the well-being of our employee ESOP owners and importantly the financial performance that allows us to grow and prosper. We determined that the two dozen community newspapers we own, from the Springfield area to Marion, need an ongoing connection to the board.

"Tom Britton, who lives in downstate Makanda, gives us a conduit to that region of the state, and his local knowledge will bring more focus to the opportunities for continued success.

"He is a lifelong resident of central and southern Illinois with an impressive resume - a three-degree graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, legal expertise as law school professor and dean, administrative and operational experience as the university's chief operating officer. All these many assets will be important to the company as we continue to grow."

Among his credentials, Britton was a member of the SIU board of trustees from 2018 to 2019. He is president of the Southern Illinois Learning in Retirement Board and a member of the Southern Illinois Healthcare Ethics Committee.