Paul W. Henning new editor of the Belleville-Area Independent

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor Emeritus
Paul W. Henning, 64, of Van Buren Township is the new editor in chief of the Belleville-Area Independent.
Henning started the job on Aug. 22.
Rosemary K. Otzman, 88, who had been editor since the newspaper started more than 30 years ago, will assist until he gets into the routine of the position.
The Independent is in the process of obtaining possible non-profit status with the Internal Revenue Service so it can accept non-taxable donations in the future to ensure it continues to serve the community. More information will be released as available.
Henning earned his bachelor of science in communications and public relations from Eastern Michigan University. He also took two years of classes in journalism at Michigan State University.
He served as communications specialist at the Van Buren Public Schools from 2003 to 2011 and then communications specialist at Blue Cross/Blue Shield from 2012-13.
Henning was executive director of the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce from December 2014 to June 2019. He was a writer for Pyramid/ASF in 2020.
He also worked at Amazon, Fed-Ex, and continuously as a marketing and communications consultant.
Henning was trustee and twice vice-president of the Van Buren Public Schools Foundation, trustee at the Belleville Area District Library, member of the Belleville Area Boys and Girls Club board, and member of the Van Buren Public Schools PTO Council and the Parent Involvement Committee.
Henning was born in Detroit and graduated from Belleville High School in 1979. His parents were the late Gwendolyn and Rev. Walter Henning, former pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Van Buren Township.
He is married to Cynthia, a fourth-grade teacher at Edgemont Elementary School. They are the parents of Derek, Daniel, Joshua, and Samantha. As of December, they will have a total of five grandchildren.
Henning likes to watch good movies and especially likes horror movies and the Italian-produced giallo murder mysteries.