Krehl remembered in retirement
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By Pat Caldwell
Argus Observer
Ontario
The voice did it.
The voice was Lou Major's and the place was El Centro Calif.
The person on the other line was Rona Krehl.
Major was calling to talk to Rona's husband, Steve, about a job in the great sovereign state of Louisiana.
The job would mean change. Big change. Krehl and Rona and their family would have to move from a small town on the edge of the desert to a state defined by its biggest city - New Orleans - and a rich southern tradition.
But it didn't matter.
Rona Krehl was already smitten.
Major's voice and kind sentiments were enough to sway Rona Krehl that moving away from El Centro and joining Wick Communications was a good idea.
Fast-forward more than three decades later to Wednesday in Payette at Scotch Pines Golf Course.
Rona and Steve Krehl sat at a table with members of the Argus Observer staff for a retirement luncheon. Major, now a member of the Wick Communication's Board of Directors, was on hand to bid Steve Krehl farewell into retirement.
“I'm so glad that Lou could make it to the luncheon. And I was happy that Scotch Pines agreed to host this event,” Krehl said.
Major talked about Krehl's early years with Wick Communications. Major discussed the battle Krehl helped the company wage against a local daily in Slidell, La. Major said he and Krehl's advertising team helped the Wick Communication paper outperform the local daily. Eventually the daily closed its door, paving the way for Wick Communications.
“We really gave our all in that effort,” Krehl said of the time in Slidell.
Teamwork paid off, he said.
“It was a united effort. And the victory was so much sweeter when we realized that daily was going to close. We tried hard, stayed focused and were successful in large part because of Lou Major,” he said.
The retirement luncheon was topped off with an Open House at the Argus Observer. More than 100 officials and others attended the Open House.
“I think it was very successful,” Krehl said.
Krehl did not spend a lot of time reflecting on the past. However, he said he feels good about his 30-plus year career in the newspaper business.
“I was very lucky. I worked for Lou Major and for a great company like Wick Communications. Wick Communications really is one of those firms with a great future and I'm very pleased I was part of its success for so long,” Krehl said.
Krehl was candid about his love of newspapers.
“Of course I will miss the business. I loved being a newspaperman. But I will still be involved at the Argus in an advisory capacity,” he said.