Hal Brown ’88 recently made the ultimate gesture of community dedication when he bought Fort Worth, Texas: The City’s Magazine. Although he spearheaded the magazine in 1998 with a partner, he also handled several other publications as CEO, including Signature Kitchens and Baths, PetLife and REO. After realizing he was stretched too thin, he chose to pursue his dream of owning his city’s magazine and started his own company, Panther City Media Publishing.

“When I grew up here, all my friends couldn’t wait to get out,” he said. “I ended up staying, playing under Jim Wacker’s first year at TCU and going through the Cinderella season we had. I’ve always loved the city, and my family roots here are deep.”

The publishing world is nothing new for Brown. In 1994 he and a partner created Michael’s Arts and Crafts magazine for the national craft store chain. It sold on a national level in the chain’s 450 stores. Brown and his partner eventually sold it but continued the publishing business as Magnolia Media Group.

September 2005 was the first issue of Fort Worth, Texas under Brown’s direction. Through the Panther City moniker, he and his 14 employees will publish all the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce publications, the city’s Newcomer’s Guide and a publication highlighting the Trinity River project, to be sold on newsstands in July.