Jacob Branen (1989-2019)

Apr 1, 2019

Jacob Branen, whose family owned the Burlington (Wisconsin) Standard Press for nearly 50 years, was killed Feb. 4 after being struck by a vehicle while he was walking home from work. He was 29.

Branen, who grew up in southeastern Wisconsin before the family moved to Florida in 2005, was the son of WNA past president Bob Branen, who served as publisher of Southern Lakes Media until 2001. Bob's brother, Shad, president of the company, and their mother, Nancy, served as chairman of the board.
The family's 50-year history in the newspaper industry began when Nancy's husband, William, bought the Burlington Standard Democrat in 1954.