Meet the Staff

John Pilati

I am the Publisher of the Franklin Free Press. Along with former editor Jason Houston, I founded the paper in 2006. I am in charge of day-to-day operations of the newspaper as well as WGOL-920, my family’s locally-owned radio station.

I am a 1989 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where I hold a Journalism degree. Additionally, I am a 1992 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. My parents are Karl and Jimmie Pilati of Russellville.

I am an avid sports fan and enjoys adventure and wildlife travel. I live on Upper Bear Lake in Phil Campbell.

Kadin Pounders

I am the Sports Editor of the Franklin Free Press. I am a Russellville, Ala., native, and I graduated from the University of North Alabama in 2016 with a degree in Sports Management.

After graduating from UNA I served as Assistant Sports Information Director at Birmingham-Southern College for three years. Over the last eight years I've enjoyed working as a freelance sports statistician in my spare time, and I've been able to work some big events. I'm also an avid reader, mostly of history and general fiction.

Jason Hill

To communicate your businesses or individual ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate your customers. If your businesses doesn't have an identity or logo, I can still provide you with an attractive form of advertising.

Originally from Ohio, I live here in Russellville. I graduated from the University of North Alabama with a degree in Graphic Design. My wife of 18 years is Dana and we have one child, Nicholas, 11.