To mark my 20th year of being a cartoonist in Mississippi, I thought I’d dig out 20 tales from the past two decades. Some are funny. Some are serious. All tell the story of how I came to fall in love with this sometimes frustrating but always fascinating state we live in.
I passed by his portrait the other day. He had a slight smirk and his eyes were smiling. He was in front of the business he loved while holding a printed copy of The Clarion-Ledger. I looked around the room at the empty chairs and could envision our old staff meetings. The room was full of nervous employees and could almost hear someone yell, “So, how’s business?” Then I could hear his voice.
Bill Hunsberger, the publisher at the time, wouldn’t sugar coat things. That was before things really began to change — but clouds were on the horizon. The room would soon be much emptier. One of those empty chairs would belong to Bill. A heart attack took him much too early from us. I wonder what he’d think about how our business has changed. (Actually, I think I know). I also wonder if anything would have been different if he hadn’t left us too soon.
God I miss Bill. I’ve worked for some great bosses in my time — Bob Witty, Chris Eddings, David Hampton just to name a few — but Bill was special. He believed in Keith Warren and I enough to help support the birth of The Run from the Sun. The 5K race brought thousands of people downtown to The Clarion-Ledger once a year for a great event thanks to his initial support. He also believed in my work.
But Bill really believed in the community.
There’s a reason the room I was standing in is called The Bill Hunsberger Community Room. His love of the community made him special. And he understood the #1 rule of Mississippi business: If people don’t know you, they won’t pay attention to you. He gave back more than he took. We were all better off for it.
Bill Hunsberger wasn’t a saint. But he was a damn good boss. And as I look back at my 20 years in Jackson, I’m so grateful for the time I worked for him.
P.S. I will give the current C-L publisher Nate Edwards credit. In the short time he has been in Mississippi, he has engaged with the community with an effort that would make Bill proud.