Kalich joined the Leflore County daily way back in 1982, working for legendary publisher John Emmerich. When Mr. Emmerich died unexpectedly in 1995, his son, Wyatt, made Kalich the successor in the role. "It was a tremendous endorsement that paid off handsomely for that newspaper and the Emmerich organization," said MPA Executive Director Layne Bruce.
Kalich, a former MPA president and Foundation chairman, won the J. Oliver Emmerich (named for Wyatt Emmerich's grandfather) Award for Editorial Excellence a remarkable seven times over the years. In 2024, he was honored with the Silver Em Award by the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media.
At the retirement reception, Wyatt Emmerich presented Kalich a Resolution adopted by the Mississippi Press Board of Directors lauding his career and expressing the gratitude of the entire membership for what he has done for the Association and the industry.
