Jesse Mullen founded the Mullen Newspaper Company in 2018 with the purchase of
Philipsburg Mail and
Silver State Post in Montana. Both those papers were merged together two years later. In December 2020, Mullen purchased the
Bitterroot Star from Michael and Victoria Howell, who founded the newspaper in 1985. In May 2021, Mullen purchased Idaho based newspaper
St. Maries Gazette Record, founded in 1902 and operated by the Hammes family since 1958. In December 2021, Mullen purchased the Johnson Newspaper Group in Nebraska and Colorado The sale included the
Grant Tribune-Sentinel,
Imperial Republican and
Holyoke Enterprise. In March 2022, Mullen acquired four Montana newspapers from the Kavanagh family, including
Cut Bank Pioneer Press,
Shelby Promoter,
Browning Glacier Reporter and
The Valierian. In December 2022, Mullen acquired six Kansas newspapers from the Haynes family. The sale included
Colby Free Press,
Goodland Star-News,
Oberlin Herald,
Norton Telegram,
St. Francis Herald/Bird City Times and the
Rawlins County Square Deal. In May 2023, Mullen stepped down as CEO and was replaced by Alex Barta, publisher of the
St. Maries Gazette Record. In August 2024, Mullen purchased the Conrad (Mont.) Independent Observer. In January 2025, Mullen purchased the
Havre Weekly Chronicle. == List of publications ==