After almost a decade of ownership of the Alden Advance newspaper, Beth Zeller decided it was time to step down as the owner and focus herself on her family.

The Alden Advance has been sold to JensPrint, which is part of the Manchester-based tractor-manual publisher Jensales.

“My husband, Jeff, and I purchased the Advance on Dec. 1, 1999,” she said. “The ironic part of all of this is that my decision to purchase The Advance was something that came out of nowhere, happened quickly and all of a sudden I was the owner of a newspaper. I think that the new owner can also say that the idea came out of nowhere, happened quickly and before he knew it, he and his wife were the owners of a newspaper.”

Zeller said the biggest factor in her decision to sell the newspaper is the fact that she is going to be a grandma in the next month, and she is determined to have the flexibility and time to spend with her new grandchild.

“My children were lucky to have grandparents that were a part of their daily lives,” she said. “I want my grandchild to know me in the same way that my kids know their grandparents. Also, I am tired of having sole responsibility for producing a weekly newspaper. I have been lucky that in nine years time I’ve never been too ill or had a family emergency that prevented me from getting a paper out.”

Zeller said the decision to ask Paul Jensen, owner of Jensales and JensPrint, started as a business relationship years ago.

“Several years ago Jensales/JensPrint started advertising with me at the newspaper. Shortly after that, I began doing some business with JensPrint,” said Zeller. “I was so impressed with their customer service and the quality of their product. Their service was top-notch, and they were a lot of fun to deal with.”

When she began looking for a new owner for the paper, JensPrint’s name just kind of popped into her head, she said, and she started to think about all of the ways that the two businesses would work well together. More important than the business aspect, was that she believed Paul, his wife, Jennifer, and the staff at JensPrint would understand the commitment to the community that is involved in owning the Alden Advance.

“All of the thoughts that were tumbling around in my head were transfered to an out-of-the-blue e-mail to Paul. I was so happy and so excited when his reply e-mail expressed interest,” Zeller said.

According to Paul Jensen, his initial reaction to Zeller’s e-mail was, “A surprise initially,” he said. “Beth is so engaged with what she does I never expected to hear she was going to sell the paper. But I was also very excited and complimented by her offering the opportunity to me.”

Jensen said that his decision to buy the Alden Advance was a purchase of opportunity.

“My impression of a small-town newspaper was a real stereotype, and since moving to Alden our whole family had come to truly enjoy the content and relevancy of the Advance,” he said.

The first step was a gift subscription from friend Evon Johnson. Our two daughters even started going through the paper, but for them (ages 6 and 9) it was mostly to see if there were any pictures of their friends or of the two of them, he said. Jennifer Jensen had the great idea of advertising the two businesses — Jensales Tractor Manuals and JensPrint Printing Services — “and that was how I got to know Beth,” Paul Jensen said.

According to Jensen, from there his appreciation for what Beth had done and does really grew.

“So when she contacted me and asked if I was interested, I said yes immediately,” he said. “I took it as a great compliment that she was looking for someone who would appreciate what the paper is and thought of me. Best part of all is that she said she was willing to stay on staff and help us to ensure the quality and spirit of the paper remain as high as they have been under Beth’s guidance.”

According to Zeller, instead of being the owner, she will now be an employee, but other than that the intent of the paper will not change.

“The community really shouldn’t notice any changes at all,” she said. “I will still be the one that you see taking pictures at the school or at community events. And for the most part, I will be the person you talk to when you call or stop in. The columnists and feature and guest writers will still be answering to me.”

Zeller wants to make sure the community knows that all of the staff will remain the same.

“Everyone that is currently writing for me will continue to write as well,” she said. “Their roles are such an important part of the success of the Advance because it is what gives the paper its own distinct personality. We want people to understand that the intent and the content of the paper will not change, only the ownership will change.”

Zeller said her favorite part of being at the Advance will not change.

“I love the interaction with the community,” she said. “When my husband and I purchased the Advance, it really was our way of giving back to the community. And I know that I have accomplished that. I know that lots of the elementary kids at the school know me as “the newspaper lady, and I love that title!”

According to Zeller, there are many benefits of Jensen being the new owner.

“He and his staff are going to bring enthusiasm and a renewed commitment to producing an informative and entertaining paper each and every week,” she said. “They will also have the time to spend on the things that I never had enough time for, such as giving our advertisers the attention that they deserve. I am also looking forward to having an English major who can help me proof and edit.”

As for Jensen, he knows he and his team at Jensales all believe the paper as a product is very good.

“The content, layout, execution is all way above average,” he said. “Where I think we can really help is on the backside, including the logistics of getting the paper to press and out to the readers as well as the business of running it. Honestly, we are going to be very careful not to change the paper at all, just to help it run easier or better by giving Beth the help and support she needs.”

As for changes, Jensen said, “We are real fans of the Alden Advance, and the success of the paper makes it clear we would be wrong to change a program that works,” he said. “The paper seems to be a great part of the community and appreciated well. I like the paper as it is. we intend to add technology where and when it will help the process, as well as upgrade the hardware and software to help us integrate better with the folks that print the paper. The only thing we can see doing is adding to what is there, but not changing it, only things that will help Beth and crew to save time getting the paper to them. Office hours will likely increase and we hope to add some services on the JensPrint side to the Alden office. The changes will ultimately be good for everyone.”

Jensen said that the Advance fits into his current business situation perfectly.

“We have a successful business operation that can take on that side of the paper with very little impact on current operations,” he said. “The real benefit for us is twofold; another outlet for Jensales and JensPrint, and the healthy business plan of the Advance makes it a great addition.”

And as for future goals, Jensen clearly said, “To not mess anything up! But really, we are hoping to keep the spirit of the paper intact and help it to reach a few more readers outside the area. We believe the Alden Advance is a great way to help folks who have moved away or are away at school to stay in touch and enjoy some local news. We see the future as more of the same, kind of a 2.0 version of the paper we know and love now.”

According to Zeller, she really wants to express her thanks to the entire community.

“I owe my thanks to all of the Advance subscribers and my advertisers who stuck by me as I learned how to produce a newspaper,” she said. “It’s been a great nine years and I’m looking forward to working here at the Advance for many more.”

Paul and Jennifer Jensen moved into the Alden community in August of 1998 and have two children, Emily, 9, and Odelia, 6, who attend the Alden-Conger School District.