Rich Oppel

Rich Oppel served as editor in chief of Texas Monthly from January 2018 until January 2019, hired by then-owner Paul Hobby to serve on an interim basis until Dan Goodgame assumed the role. Rich was a veteran AP editor, a Knight Ridder Washington bureau chief, and a longtime newspaper executive. He served as the top editor of four newspapers, including a fifteen-year stint at the Charlotte Observer, where he led the staff in winning three Pulitzer Prizes, two of which were gold medals for meritorious public service—the highest award in newspaper journalism. He also was editor of the Austin American-Statesman for thirteen years. Oppel served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Board, and he was named Ben Bradlee Editor of the Year in 1982.