Pacific Publishing Group traces its roots back to 1886—less than six months after the incorporation of the City of Fresno. Originally founded by H.C. Miller and known as the Abstract of Records, the business was purchased just two years later by Morris Shelby Webster for $180.
M.S. Webster arrived in Fresno from the Midwest in 1876 at the age of 15. After working as a sheepherder in the Sierras, he landed a job at First National Bank, where he got his first exposure to the business world. Seeking to strike out on his own, he took over the fledgling publication, and the real work began. Long before the age of computers, gathering public records meant hours of on-the-ground effort—visiting courthouses and government offices to collect information by hand.
M.S. Webster’s two sons, Norman and Lloyd, eventually joined the family business. Under M.S. Webster’s leadership, the publication was adjudicated by local courts, qualifying it to print court-required trustee sales and other legal notices—a service that remains a key source of revenue for Pacific Publishing Group today.
Although both sons maintained equal ownership of the company for many years, Norman eventually took the lead. In the 1940s, as readership expanded and the company placed greater emphasis on real estate sales and public records, the paper’s name was changed to reflect its evolving content.
Norman A. Webster devoted over 60 years to the Daily Real Estate Report and Abstract of Records before retiring in 1979. His son, Gordon M. Webster, Sr., joined the business in 1948 and continued the legacy. Under his leadership, the company was incorporated in 1976, purchased its first building in Downtown Fresno, and adopted a new name—the Fresno Daily Legal Report—to broaden its appeal and readership.
In the mid-1980s, with the help of his sons Gordon Webster, Jr. and Norman G. Webster, Gordon Sr. acquired a separate commercial printing company. This venture produced a number of publications, including a directory of Fresno County judges and attorneys, which evolved into The Legal Directory. Now a staple of the local legal community, The Legal Directory celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025.
Following a move to a new building in downtown Fresno, Gordon Webster, Jr. led the next chapter of innovation. He introduced a hard-news business component to the publication, expanding beyond public records to launch The Business Journal. The publication celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2021 and now reaches readers across Fresno, Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties with three weekly editions: one focused on local business news, and two dedicated to documental news and public notices.
After selling his share in the family’s commercial printing business, Gordon Webster, Jr. founded Pacific Publishing Group to oversee The Business Journal and other growing publications. Today, the company is headquartered at Van Ness Avenue and Merced Street in Downtown Fresno and remains a trusted resource for business news and legal notices in the Central Valley.
Now preparing for its fifth generation of leadership, Pacific Publishing Group continues to adapt and thrive—even in the face of recent economic challenges. Ashley Webster Rudolph, daughter of Gordon Webster, Jr., has worked in the family business for 17 years. As the fifth-generation Webster to join the company, Ashley takes great pride in the family legacy and is committed to learning every facet of the publishing business, all while working closely with her father and having fun doing it.
Much like Fresno itself, Pacific Publishing Group has grown and evolved over the decades. What began more than 139 years ago as a modest home-based publication has transformed into an award-winning, multi-title publishing and events management company serving the business-to-business community of the Central San Joaquin Valley.
And for that, we are especially proud.
