Ray Smith led the Daily Post for close to 50 years, after joining the Morning Post as it was called, immediately after returning from World War II.
While his first job with the newspaper was as advertising manager, he became increasingly involved in newspaper production including pioneering offset printing in 1964 and introducing photo typesetting to New Zealand, Jill Nicholas of the Daily Post says.
In tandem with the late Ted Guy, he co-founded the Rotorua-based United Publishing and Printing company which had interests in Wanganui, Levin and Wellington. He was general manager, managing director and latterly chairman, she adds.
When the company was sold to Wilson & Horton in 1985, Mr Smith remained on the board of directors until his retirement in 1994.
In those years he played a leading role in expanding the company’s regional newspaper stable, acquiring titles at Whangarei, Tauranga, Napier and Hastings.
His distinguished newspaper career included close links with the Newspapers Publishers’ Association, of which he was president for 11 years, the New Zealand Press Association, on which he was an executive for 15 years, also serving a term in the president’s chair, and he became a New Zealand trustee of the London-based Reuters board.
He was also involved with the Commonwealth Press Union.
His distinguished newspaper career was recognised with a CBE in 1992. He had been awarded a military OBE in 1958.
