Meet The Founders

April 1, 2016

A quarter century ago, the Northern Express burst on the northern Michigan scene, its first issue declaring it was "exploring the world of recreation." Through the years the paper has never shied away from controversy, has broken news, helped launch local music acts, and helped millions of people over the years find something to do. Today, 1,300 issues later, the paper remains a vital source for news, entertainment, and "the world of recreation."

We tracked down Bob Downes and George Foster, two friends who, back in 1991, decided to bet on northern Michigan’s growth and start a brand new media outlet – in their spare time.

How It All Started

Co-Founder Bob Downes: "George Foster and I were longtime running buddies and one day he asked if I'd like to launch a recreational and fitness publication. I was working as a writer in the public relations department at Munson at the time and was open to a new direction but thought an alternative newsweekly would be a better approach, since northern Michigan had nothing like the Detroit Metro Times.

We decided to launch an alternative newspaper that would mirror the lifestyle of northern Michigan. The Northern Express was an instant hit with the public, even though an editor at a competing paper thought it wouldn't last four m