Former Taos News business manager, New Mexico newspaper publisher remembered for dedication
Nov 1, 2024
STAFF REPORT
The Taos (Mew Mexico) News
Sammy Lopez, former business manager at the Taos News and a longtime New Mexico media leader, died Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, of a stroke. He was 69.
Colleagues joked Lopez had been publisher of most newspapers in the state: Las Cruces, Farmington, Carlsbad, Ruidoso, Deming, Fort Sumner, and the Valencia County News-Bulletin. Taos News Publisher Chris Baker recalled Lopez published his first newspaper, The Villager, as a high school student in Los Lunas. Lopez hired Baker as publisher of the News-Bulletin in 1995.
A man of strong New Mexico values, Lopez returned home in 2019 — after his publishing career expanded to cover multiple states — to become executive director of the New Mexico Press Association. He also served as treasurer for the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.
Baker called him a mentor. “He had a great temperament, a great demeanor," he said. "He stayed calm. He was proponent for all the newspapers in the state, but he really cares about the little papers. He loved little newspapers.”
While at the Taos News from 1982–88, Lopez was a mentor for ad directors, sales staff and the late Debbie Medina, whom he took under his wing to train to succeed him as business manager. Former advertising director Joanne Crass said Lopez built her confidence. “He saw something in me that I didn’t know I had. He sent me out on my first day to sell a Tempo ad to Angel Fire Corp., and his confidence gave me the sense that I could meet any goal.”
Bryan Welch, now an executive consultant and author, recalls, “Sammy irritated me, as a snotty reporter, with his talk about ad linage and circulation revenues. I figured the feeling was mutual. Later, I discovered that he was a journalist’s dream — a boss that had your back. He would fight all day and all night for journalism. By the time we were both middle-aged, Sammy had become a dear friend who was always just a phone call away with good advice, the inside scoop and warm camaraderie. I’m going to miss him like crazy.”
Robin Martin, owner of the Taos News and The Santa Fe New Mexican, recalled it was partially because Lopez needed a challenge that she bought the Calexico Chronicle, a struggling newspaper on the Texas–Mexico border. Although Lopez worked valiantly as its publisher while retaining his work as Taos’ business manager, the small paper shuttered after 18 months.
Lopez went on to become an executive with World West, where he was group manager for eight newspapers in three states, and with Civitan Media, where he managed six daily and two weekly newspapers. Although his career took him to Texas, Ohio and Illinois, his roots were deep in New Mexico.
He was raised on a small family farm in Jarales in Valencia County, where he returned to live out what would be his final years.
Martin remembered him for fitting seamlessly into the Taos culture. He was equally at home at a matanza as at a chamber of commerce meeting. “Sammy wasn’t in the newspaper business for fame or fortune,” Martin said. “He cared about the communities his newspapers served. He tried to make all lives better.”
This was evidenced by his staunch defense of the public’s right to know at the Farmington Daily Times. The Times and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government sued the City of Farmington for refusing to release the names of applicants for the city manager’s job. He — and the public — won the case, which earned him the Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award in 2008.
The New Mexico Press Association inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2010 for his lifetime of journalism accomplishments.
“He was always an advocate and champion for the newspaper industry. Sammy came into the organization determined to revitalize the NMPA, which he did by honoring relationships and being an astute businessman,” NMPA President Barbara Beck said in a written statement.
Billie Blair, former Taos News publisher, said Lopez was “the kind of man you wanted by your side when deadlines loomed, advertising dropped or storms were on the horizon; he was a calming influence.”
Both Lopez and Blair were frequent presenters at the American Press Institute. He presented on increasing ad revenue; she presented on improving editorial content. When their paths crossed at the Institute, they each told students, “Forget a lot of what that other speaker said.” Blair added, “But at our core, we both fought our entire careers for good community journalism. I was blessed to have been in that quest alongside Sammy.”
Lopez is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughter, Melinda; brother, Victor Lopez; sister, Bertha Benavidez; and three grandchildren. He is predeceased by his son, Anthony, who was born in Taos.
Services for Lopez were held Oct. 18 at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church in Belen. Visitation was held at 9 a.m., followed by the Rosary at 10 a.m. and Mass at 10:30 a.m.
