Culpepper new editor of GB News
Mississippi native has lived in area for 4 years
STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Culpepper

Veteran journalist Joe Culpepper has joined Gulf Breeze News as editor.

Culpepper, 49, brings nearly 30 years of newspaper experience to the News. Culpepper formerly served as editor of Navarre Press. Prior to that, Culpepper was sports editor of the Pensacola News Journal.

Culpepper and his family have lived in Midway for four years.

"We are delighted to have Joe lead our team," News co-publisher Lisa Newell said. "His reputation for being a professional journalist with a depth of experience will serve our community well."

Culpepper spent many years reporting sports before moving into newsroom management. While he was at Navarre Press, the paper was a general excellence finalist in the Florida Press Association Better Weekly Newspaper contest.

"I'm humbled to be chosen to help carry on the tradition of outstanding community news coverage at Gulf Breeze News," Culpepper said. "I will strive daily to ensure that our readers get the most comprehensive, dependable hometown news possible.

"The newspaper is the conscience of its community, and I look forward to telling the stories that reflect the accomplishments, growth and potential of Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa County."

Culpepper is a native of Philadelphia, Miss., where he began his journalism career with the weekly Neshoba Democrat.

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Culpepper was sports editor of the Sentinel Star in Grenada, Miss. He moved on to The Meridian (Miss.) Star before joining The Clarion- Ledger in Jackson, Miss., where he spent 21 years on the staff of Mississippi's leading daily paper.

Culpepper was assistant sports editor at the Jackson paper for 11 years.

Culpepper and his wife, Renée, are the parents of two daughters. Christian, 20, is a junior at the University of West Florida pursuing a degree in psychology. Adrian, 15, is a freshman at Gulf Breeze High School, where she is a member of the volleyball, weightlifting and softball teams.

Renée is a senior graphic designer for Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges based in Jackson, Miss.

Meet The Editor

The community is invited to a reception to meet Joe Culpepper from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at Gulf Breeze News, #35 Harbourtown.