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In 2012, the Butler Eagle marked its 110th year of Wise family ownership.

Vernon L. “Chip” Wise III serves as company president. Chip Wise has been president of Butler Color Press and in 2009 became the fourth generation to serve as president of the Eagle Printing Co.

John L. Wise III works as editorial page editor of the newspaper, the same job held by his father and grandfather. He also serves as vice president and secretary of the company.

Vance M. Smith IV represents the fifth generation of the Wise family. He is vice president and treasurer of the Eagle Printing Co. He is a grandson of Vernon L. Wise Jr., who led the company and served as president for 35 years and remains chairman of the board. Smith comes to the company with an MBA degree and experience in

John L. Wise III VICE PRESIDENT

Vernon (Chip) Wise III PRESIDENT

Vernon Wise Jr. CHAIRMAN

Vance Smith VICE PRESIDENT

commercial real estate development, as well as commercial printing sales.

Members of the Wise family have long taken pride in the fact that they are independent newspaper publishers and commercial printers. The Wise family’s involvement in the Butler Eagle began in 1903 when attorney Levi Wise, a native of Harmony, bought out the interests of his partners in the newspaper. For many years following the 1903 start of Wise family ownership, Levi’s wife, Bertha, managed the newspaper.

The Eagle is a six-day-a-week newspaper that covers all of Butler County. Over the years, the Wise family has added other publications, including the Cranberry Eagle, a twice-a-week newspaper that covers the rapidly developing southwestern section of the county.

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The Butler Eagle is printed on a state-of-the-ar t Goss Uniliner Press, which

can run up to 70,000 copies per hour.

Business Office: 114 W. Diamond Street, Butler

Production Center: 514 West Wayne Street, Butler

724-282-8000 www.butlereagle.com

The company also prints the monthly Butler County Business Matters, which focuses on businesses in the county and is mailed to thousands of business owners and managers throughout the county. In addition, the family owns an affiliate business, the Butler Color Press, which prints newspaper inserts and other products for national and regional retailers. Some of its customers include Giant Eagle, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Levin and Macy’s.

The family continues to invest in the company and in Butler County, something it has done throughout the past 110 years. Ten years ago, it built the Eagle Production Center on West Wayne Street, which houses a three-story printing press for newspaper and commercial printing, as well as 15,000 square feet of office space and large areas for post-production work and for newsprint storage. Three years ago, it invested in a new heat- set printing press at Butler Color Press, which is located near East Butler. In 2008, the Eagle Printing Co. bought an existing facility on 4.5 acres on Route 19 in Cranberry Township, acquiring a 25,000 square feet warehouse and office space for the staff of the weekly Cranberry Eagle. In 2011, Eagle Printing began daily printing and packaging of The Erie Times; further investing locally in additional personnel and equipment.

The Wise family believes the best interests of Butler County residents are served by having a newspaper owned by a family that knows and is a part of the community, rather than a large national corporation.

With the addition of a member of the fifth generation, the Wise family continues to honor the family tradition begun by Levi and Bertha Wise in 1903. Members of the family also take pride in the role the newspaper has played over the years in the Butler County community.