James Kerney Kuser

On February 1, 1966, James Kerney Kuser and his family moved from Trenton, New Jersey to Napoleon, Ohio, and purchased the Northwest-Signal newspaper from John F. Orwig and Nat J. Belknap. Born in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, in October, 1930, James Kuser graduated from Lawrenceville Prep School in 1949 and the University of Virginia in 1953. After a three year tour of duty in the Army Security Agency, Kuser attended the Yale Graduate School of Drama for a year before joining Klieg] Bros. Lighting in New York City.

In 1962, James Kuser went to work for his family's newspaper, the Trenton (N.J.) Times as manager of radio station WTOA-FM. After the station was sold, he worked for the Camden (N.J.) Courier-Post until moving to Ohio. Since 1955 the Kuser family has been involved with daily newspapers in Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey, plus numerous weekly papers throughout the midwest. In October, 1974, the Trenton Times was sold to the Washington Post.

Included in the purchase of the Napoleon Northwest-Signal were all the assets of the Napoleon Publishing Company, located in buildings at 606 North Perry St., formerly owned by Nat J. Belknap, and 610 North Perry St., still owned by Mrs. Don (Dorothy) Orwig. The new company formed under Kuser's ownership was Napoleon, Inc., and in September, 1966, the tabloid size newspaper was converted to standard size. In January, 1969, the newspaper switched to "cold type" composition and began printing offset on presses located in Wauseon, Ohio, owned by Chief Publishing Co. Napoleon, Inc. started publication of a weekly newspaper, the Northwest Courier, in October, 1973, and in November, 1974, the newspapers moved into new facilities in a building on East Riverview in Napoleon, a mile east of their former location.

James Kuser married Helen Lambert in Trenton, N.J. in October, 1954, and they sired three children, all born in Trenton, N.J.: John Lambert Kuser, born July 28, 1956; Mary Kerney Kuser, II, born March 1, 1959; and James Kerney Kuser, Jr., born February 1, 1963. When the Kuser family moved to Napoleon, they purchased the William H. Heitman house, built by Heitman in 1959, located at 7 Martha Lane in the Majestic Heights section. John Kuser graduated from Napoleon High School in 1974 and works for the Northwest-Signal newspaper. Mary Kuser is a member of the 1977 Napoleon High School class, and Jamie Kuser is a member of the 1977 Central School class in Napoleon.

Besides being president of Napoleon, Inc. and Publisher of the Northwest-Signal, James Kuser is a member of numerous newspaper organizations, including the Associated Press, the Ohio Newspaper Association, the Inland Daily Press Association, and the International Newspaper Promotion Assoc.

The Kusers have been involved in many civic and community activities since moving to Henry County. James Kuser was president of the Napoleon-Henry County Airport Authority, president of the Maumee Valley Civic Theatre, president of the Retail Division of the Napoleon Chamber of Commerce, vice-president of the Henry County Community Concert Association, plus being a member of the Napoleon Rotary Club, the Elks Lodge #929, the American Legion Post #300, the American Red Cross Fund Campaign, and the St. Augustine's Athletic Booster Club. Helen Kuser was president of the Browser Literary Society, and is a member of the Heller Memorial Hospital Grey Ladies. The Kusers are members of St. Augustine's Church in Napoleon.

Submitted by James K. Kuser