Will Chapman

Will Chapman of New Iberia, retired publisher of The Daily Iberian, has been named executive director of the Louisiana Press Association. 

Chapman, a third-generation journalist on both sides of his family, has more than 35 years of experience with Louisiana newspapers, including small weeklies, community dailies and a large metro daily. Chapman is also a third-generation former president of the Louisiana Press Association’s Board of Directors. 

He retired from Wick Communications in 2017 after more than 30 years with the family-owned newspaper group. Chapman was publisher at The Daily Iberian from 1984 until his retirement.

According to a prepared statement from LPA, Chapman will assume duties on April 2. LPA Board of Directors President Garland Forman, of the Bunkie Record, said that Chapman was a natural fit.

“You will be hard-pressed to find a better ‘face of LPA’ with real experience in all of our relevant issues,” Forman said. 

“Will has the understanding of legislative issues including public notice and open meetings. He has written numerous editorials and has spoken before numerous groups about the public’s right to know, about access to public documents, about freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and the responsibilities that come with those freedoms.”

Chapman will bring to the LPA significant financial experience and know-how, as he was well-known for his newspaper budgeting and financial oversight abilities.

While on the board of directors, Chapman led an LPA effort to reorganize the specifics of the LPA Advertising Service and helped lobby for relevant tax and open government legislation.