There are very few moments in a company’s history that truly stop you in your tracks. Celebrating 140 years as a family-owned business is one of them.

As I sit down to write this, I can’t help but think about the generations that came before me. Five generations of my family including me have had the privilege of serving the Central Valley through Pacific Publishing Group, our family publishing company that is the parent company of The Business Journal.

When my great-great-grandfather began this journey in the late 1800s, he couldn’t have imagined the technology we use today, the speed at which news travels or the incredible business community that now calls the Central Valley home. But I believe he envisioned something much simpler and more important: a business rooted in integrity, trust and service.

Those values have never changed.

Lessons learned

Growing up, I watched my dad, Gordie Webster Jr., pour his heart into this company. I saw the long hours, the difficult decisions, the celebrations and the challenges that come with running an independent, family-owned publishing company. What I learned wasn’t simply how to publish a newspaper — it was how important it is to serve a community with honesty, consistency and purpose.

Today, as the fifth generation of our family, I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

Responsibility, not just a role

For 140 years, we’ve had the privilege of telling the stories of entrepreneurs who took risks, family businesses that built legacies, nonprofits changing lives and leaders working every day to make our region stronger. We’ve celebrated milestones, covered difficult moments, documented economic growth and helped connect the people who move our community forward.

But none of this would have been possible without you, our readers who have trusted us week after week. Our first expression of gratitude extends to you.

Thank you

To our advertisers, who have invested in local journalism and believed in the value of reaching our business community.

To our event sponsors, partners and supporters.

To the thousands of business leaders who have shared their stories with us.

To every employee — past and present — who has poured their talent, passion and dedication into Pacific Publishing Group.

Thank you.

You are part of this 140-year story.

As we celebrate this milestone, we are also embracing the future. This year marks exciting changes for The Business Journal — from a refreshed website and expanded digital experience to new events and new ways of connecting our business community. While the platforms may evolve, our mission remains exactly the same: to provide trusted, local business journalism that informs, connects and strengthens the Central Valley.

The road ahead

The future of journalism belongs to organizations willing to evolve while staying true to their values. That’s exactly what we intend to do.

I often say that family businesses don’t survive for generations by standing still. They survive because each generation accepts the responsibility of honoring the past while having the courage to build the future.

I am incredibly proud to be part of that journey and honored to serve our community that has supported our family for five generations.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing our family to be a small part of yours for the last 140 years. We are honored by your trust, inspired by your support, and excited for everything still to come.

Here’s to the next chapter.

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Ashley Webster Rudolph is associate publisher of Pacific Publishing Group, parent company of The Business Journal.