Paul Read, publisher of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business and Spokane Journal of Business, was named Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the Spokane Colleges Foundation on April 17.  

Read, who has had a 42-year career in the newspaper business, got his start in journalism working as the editor of The Communicator, Spokane Falls Community College’s student newspaper. He earned an associate degree in photography before earning a bachelor’s in journalism from Eastern Washington University. 

In addition to his publisher work, Read supports the Spokane community by serving on several local boards.

“Paul’s one of the great guys in Spokane. He’s done so much for the community and so many different organizations and I can think of nobody better to win this award than Paul Read,” said Larry Soehren in a video about the award. Soehren was the 2025 Distinguished Alumni winner and sat on this year’s selection committee.

The award honors alumni who exemplify the legacy of learning at SFCC or Spokane Community College and who have made significant contributions to the community. 

“The community college system produces so many individuals who then have a career, who then are in the workforce, who then are giving back to our community. Community colleges transform lives,” Read said in the video. 

Read helped to launch the Spokane Journal of Business in 1986. He oversaw the acquisition of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business in 2022.