Former publisher of Courier-Advocate returns to helm
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

PHOTO BY ROB PRICE Pictured above, Ted Mike, who served as publisher of The Steuben Courier-Advocate from 1983 to 1986, has returned to The Courier as its publisher.

BATH — A veteran newspaper man with deep roots in Bath has been named publisher of The Steuben Courier-Advocate.

Ted Mike, who started working in the newspaper business in 1968 and served as publisher of The Courier from 1983 to 1986, returned to the hometown publisher's office last week.

Colleen Neeley, the Courier's publisher for the past 14 years, was named publisher of the Dansville- Wayland Penny Saver earlier this year.

In an interview, Mike recalled his grandparents, Laura and Harold Hand lived in Bath, where his grandfather worked for the Hopkins Dairy. His mother, Waneta Jenkins, worked at the Chat- A-Whyle in the 1940s.

"It's a coming home party, and it feels great," he said.

Mike has served as publisher of The Morning Times, a Sayre, Pa., daily newspaper, since 1992. From 1986 to 1992, he was publisher of the Salamanca Press. He started working the newspaper business in 1968 in the production department of the Hornell Evening Tribune.

All four newspapers are part of Gatehouse Media Inc. "I've been in the family since 1968," Mike said.

Returning to Bath is a special pleasure for Mike and his wife, Vickee, because they're closer to their cottage on Keuka Lake. "It gets me close to my lake home, which I love," Mike said, "and it gets me close to my grandchildren, who live in Bath."

Behind his desk in The Courier office, Mike said the paper has a similar feel to its counterpart in the mid-1980s — in spite of the addition of full-processed color pages.

"The distribution is basically the same," he said, "and the ad base continues to be very good. Colleen has left the paper in good shape."

An avid hunter, Mike to a hopes to become involved with the Bath Rod and Gun Club. He also enjoys golf.

And he wants to make The Courier a better newspaper for its readers and advertisers.

"Of course, it's already in pretty good shape already," he says.