The Savannah (MO) Reporter sold to local family

SAVANNAH, MO – The Savannah Reporter, a county-seat weekly in Savannah MO, has been sold by long-time
owners Guy and Leslie Speckman to a local family. Ken Rosenauer and his son, Brent, purchased the 2,500-
circulation newspaper, effective Jan. 30th.
Dennis DeRossett with Grimes, McGovern & Associates represented the sellers.
Ken, a former mayor of Savannah, is a retired journalism professor, having taught 34 years at Missouri Western
State University in nearby St. Joseph. His wife, Janet, is the current public administrator for Andrew County. Brent
is a 2017 graduate of Missouri Western, where he earned a bachelor of science in convergent media.
Ken will serve as publisher, working to set the newspaper’s long-term goals and to develop its journalistic identity.
Brent will be editor, handling the daily and weekly tasks of working with staff to publish the best newspaper
possible. Ken will also return to writing each week his topical column “You Heard It Here,” which he previously
wrote for several years, at times offering some interesting counterpoints to Guy’s weekly column “Ponder the
Thought.” He explained that their No. 1 goal is to make a difference in the community. “This is a dream come true,” Ken said.
“Not only buying the newspaper but also working with my son, Brent.”
The Speckman’s purchased the newspaper in 2001. The Rosenauers become only the seventh owners in the
paper’s 143-year history; it is the oldest continuously operating business in Andrew County.
The Speckmans said, “The Rosenauers are the perfect new owners. We had out of town people interested, but are
glad the Rosenauers stepped forward, continuing local ownership