Biography

Ever since Paul J. Hoffman was young, he’s been digging for answers to life’s questions. His fifth-grade teacher, Cynthia Chovanec, noted his enthusiasm for finding the truth, writing on his report card: “Paul knows the value of research materials. He knows where to find the information he seeks.”

Paul used that inquisitive nature and penchant for getting questions answered throughout his 34-year career as a journalist, with his two published non-fiction books, and now as the owner of PathBinder Publishing LLC.

His first book, Murder in Wauwatosa: The Mysterious Death of Buddy Schumacher, was published in 2012 by The History Press. It is the story of the disappearance of an 8-year-old boy from Paul’s hometown in 1925 and the subsequent investigation into the boy’s murder. Paul has a personal connection to the case: his father bought the house he grew up in from Buddy Schumacher’s father in 1969.

Wicked Columbus, Indiana, published in 2017 by the same publisher, tells the true tales of some of that city’s more salacious stories.

He is working on his third book, a 200th anniversary of First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana, due out Summer 2024.

He published two books of memoirs and essays in 2020 before purchasing PathBinder Publishing in May of that year from Heather Hummel Gallagher, who had helped him negotiate his first author contract.

Paul was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and was raised in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee.

His journalism experience consists of working as a sports writer at the Milwaukee Sentinel; assistant sports editor at Pioneer Press newspapers in the Chicago area; sports editor and news editor in Shelbyville, Indiana; news editor in Columbus, Indiana; special publications editor at the Daily Journal in Franklin, Indiana, and group special publications editor for AIM Media Indiana, based in Columbus, Indiana. He put a halt to his journalism career in September 2019 to concentrate on writing and publishing.

He is a graduate of Wauwatosa East High School and attended both the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, graduating from the latter with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications (Radio/TV sequence) and a minor in English.

His creative nature has led to some acting work, mostly in community theater. He starred in the two-person play, “Kalamazoo” at Willow Leaves of Hope in Hope, Indiana, in February 2023.

He has run for political office twice: Bartholomew County Council, 2022; Columbus City Council, 2023.

He lives in Columbus, Indiana, is an avid fan of all Wisconsin sports teams, owns one share of stock in the Green Bay Packers, and ran the length of the field (and back) at Lambeau Field in Green Bay after a Packers preseason game when he was 7 years old.

He is married to fellow author, Kimberly Sue Hoffman, has three daughters, a son, two stepdaughters and a granddaughter.

Experience

Owner/Creative Director, PathBinder Publishing LLC, Columbus, Ind., May 2020-present

Owner, 18% Gray Publishing, Columbus, Ind., March 2020-present.

Group Special Publications Editor, AIM Media Indiana, Columbus, Ind., Nov. 2017-Sept. 2019

Special publications editor, Daily Journal, Franklin, Ind., Jan. 2001-Nov. 2017

News editor, The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Nov. 1999-Dec. 2000

News editor, The Shelbyville News, Shelbyville, Ind., July 1998-Nov. 1999

Sports editor, The Shelbyville News, Shelbyville, Ind., August 1994-July 1998

Assistant sports editor, Pioneer Press Newspapers, Glenview, Ill., Oct. 1989-July 1994

Sports reporter, Milwaukee Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wis., August 1985-Oct. 1989

Sports information assistant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wis., 1983-1985

Disc jockey, WLHA Radio, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., 1982-1983

Education

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (Radio/TV). Minor in English.

University of Wisconsin-Madison: Concentrated on computer science and statistics.

Wauwatosa East High School, graduated in top 25 percent of class. Participated in cross country, track and swimming.