21st Century Newspapers

Frank Shepherd was born December 20, 1941, to Velma J.(Johnston) and Homer F. Shepherd in Port Huron, Michigan. Shepherd owned 21st Century Newspapers' and his first acquisitions were The Oakland Press and The Macomb Daily and The Royal Oak Tribune on August 21, 1997. They were purchased from The Walt Disney Company in Burbank, California. 21st Century under Frank Shepherd, president, chairman, and CEO, began a buying spree that eventually ended with approx. 129 newspaper titles. The company also acquired newspaper assets of Brill Media Company(purchased out of bankruptcy) in August 2002 including Morning Sun daily newspaper in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and newspapers in Traverse City, Charlevoix, Gaylord, East Jordan, Elk Rapids, Central Lake, Bellaire and Tawas City and other communities in central and northern Michigan. In addition, newspapers in "Downriver Detroit" were also purchased including newspapers in Wyandotte, Southgate, Dearborn, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, Allen Park, Taylor and Trenton In September 2002, Booth Newspapers acquired 21st Century Newspapers Suburban Flint Newspaper Group which has nine local papers: The Clio Messenger, The Davison Flagstaff, The Fenton Press, The Grand Blanc News, Flint Township News, The Flushing Observer, The Holly Press, The Suburban Burton, and Swartz Creek News and included Suburban Flint shopper. All of which became part of the Flint Journal as the Community Newspapers. on August 21, 2005, 21st Century was acquired by Journal Register Company.