John Stewart Bryan III

John Stewart Bryan III
Born May 4, 1938
Richmond, Virginia
Died January 23, 2016(2016-01-23) (aged 77)
Alma mater University of Virginia
Occupation News reporter, newspaper publisher, business executive, philanthropist
Years active 1962-2016
Employer Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Tribune Company, The Tampa Tribune, Media General
Known for Political news reporting, business management
Relatives John Stewart Bryan
Joseph Bryan
Website MediaGeneral.com

John Stewart Bryan III (May 4, 1938 – January 23, 2016) was an American news reporter, newspaper publisher, business executive, and philanthropist.[1][2] Starting his media career in the 1960s, Bryan worked first as a journalist and then as a publisher for four different newspaper publishers in Richmond, Virginia and Tampa, Florida.[1] In 1990 he became chairman, president and chief executive officer of Media General in Richmond, succeeding his father, David Tennant Bryant, in those roles.[1][3] While serving as head of Media General, Bryan led the company to expand its newspapers and broadcast television operations[1] and to add digital media as well.[4] He served as publisher for the Richmond Times-Dispatch until late 2004[5] and retired as Media General CEO in 2008,[4] retaining his role as chairman.[6] Bryan was involved with a number of non-profit organizations in Virginia and Florida,[7] and was a founder of the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico.[7] Throughout his career Bryan has received a number of awards and accolades,[3] including the 2012 George Mason Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.[8][9]

Early life and education

John Stewart Bryan III was born in Richmond, Virginia on May 4, 1938 to Mary Harkness Davidson Bryan and D. Tennant Bryan.[8][3] Bryan and his two sisters, Mary and Florence,[3] all came from several generations of newspapermen,[1] and their father D. Bryan, their grandfather John Stewart Bryan, and their great-grandfather Joseph Bryan had been involved with the Daily Times and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.[10] After first attending St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, in 1956 Bryan graduated from the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia.[3] From 1954 until 1957 he worked summers in the mailing room and circulation department of The Richmond News Leader,[7] and he graduated with a bachelor of arts in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1960.[3] From 1960 until 1962 Bryan subsequently spent two years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantry officer.[3] He attended law school at the University of Virginia from 1962 until 1963,[3] and in 1963 he became a full-time ad salesman for the The Burlington Free Press.[7]

Career

Early reporting and positions (1960s-1980s)

Bryan became a reporter for The Tampa Times in 1965, and two years later he became a political reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Among other topics, he reported on legislative sessions in Florida and Virginia between 1967 and 1968.[7] He would later state that "the most fun I have had as an adult was being a newspaper reporter in Vermont, Florida and Virginia, especially covering state politics."[9] In 1968 he moved to Tampa, Florida to serve as vice president of The Tribune Company, becoming executive vice president in 1971.[7] After being elected to the board of Media General in 1974,[3] in 1976 Bryan was appointed publisher of The Tampa Tribune.[7] Returning to Richmond in 1978, he was appointed both president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader, both publications under the auspices of Media General.[7] He was elected vice chairman and executive vice president of Media General in 1985.[3]

Later developments (1990s-2016)

In 1990, he succeeded his father as chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Media General.[1][3] While serving as head of Media General, Bryan led the company to expand its newspaper and broadcast television operations[1] to add digital media as well.[4] He served as publisher for the Richmond Times-Dispatch until late 2004,[5] retiring in 2005.[3] Also in 2005 he stepped down as CEO of Media General, while continuing to serve as chairman.[2] Bryan announced he would retire in June 2008 from Media General as an employee, while also remaining non-executive chairman.[4]

In 2012, Media General sold the majority of its print newspapers[5] to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Bryan argued that it was the best move to preserve the publications' journalistic integrity through the economic slump, stating that "my head says well-done, but my heart is crying."[5] The sale of the print publications resulted in Media General becoming a broadcast only media company, and from 2013 on it aggressively expanded merging with other broadcasters and acquiring television stations such as WRIC in Richmond.[5] By early 2016 Media General agreed to be acquired by Nextar Broadcasting Group.[2] Bryan died on January 23, 2016 at the age of 77, while still serving as chairman of Media General.[6]

Honors and awards

Throughout his career Bryan has received a number of awards and accolades. After being added to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame,[3] in 2003 he was also inducted into the Richmond Business Hall of Fame.[11] In relation to his work with the press, he was awarded the 2012 George Mason Award from the Society of Professional Journalists,[8][9] and has also received the Outstanding Service Award from the Florida Press Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Virginia Press Association, and the Frank Mayborn Leadership Award from the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association.[3] Virginia Pro Chapter (SPJVA) has recognized Bryan, and he received the medal of honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution. Both he and his wife, Lissy, were given the deTocqueville Award from United Way of Greater Richmond.[3] Furthermore, Bryan has received honorary degress from several colleges, including Hampden-Sydney College, Emory & Henry College, College of William & Mary, and Randolph-Macon College.[3]

Boards and philanthropy

Bryan was involved with a number of professional associations, for example serving as a trustee or director for the American Newspaper Publishers Association, the Newspaper Association of America, the Associated Press, the Virginia Press Association, the United Press advisory board, and the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.[7] He also was a president or chairman of the Newspaper Advertising Bureau, the Florida Press Association, and the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association (SNPA).[7] Bryan was recently active on the boards of the Virginia Historical Society[12] and the George C. Marshall Foundation,[7] and was a founder of the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico.[7] In the past, Bryan served as chairman or president of the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, the United Fund of Tampa, Tampa Bay Art Center, Tampa Citizen’s Safety Council, The Florida Orchestra, the Richmond branch of Goodwill Industries, Junior Achievement of Richmond and the United Way of Greater Richmond.[7]

Previously a campaign chairman for the Tampa United Fund,[7] Bryan was either a boardmember or trustee for diverse organizations such as the Maymont Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the Metropolitan Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the University of Tampa Board of Trustees, the University of South Florida Council of Advisors, the Leadership Metro Richmond, the Valentine Museum, Episcopal High School, St. Catherine’s School, the Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation, the Virginia Council on Economic Education, The Denver Post, the Foundation for American Communications, the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, the College Foundation of the University of Virginia, the Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Florida State Chamber of Commerce, the Florida State Fair, and the University Club of Tampa.[7] Furthermore, Bryan was on the advisory board of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the commission for Future of Florida’s Public Universities. He also served as vice chairman at the Virginia Higher Education Tuition Trust Fund Board.[7]

Personal life

Bryan has two daughters, Talbott [13] and Anna,[3] and he was married to Lisa-Margaret "Lissy" Stevenson Bryan[3] at the time of his death in 2016.[3] A long-time resident of Richmond, Virginia, Bryan was a member of local organizations such as the Country Club of Virginia and The Commonwealth Club, as well as national organizations such as the Bohemian Club and the Alfalfa Club.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Moran, Nancy (January 24, 2016). "John Stewart Bryan, Last Family CEO at Media General, Dies at 77". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  2. 1 2 3 Gilligan, Gregory (January 23, 2016). "J. Stewart Bryan III, Media General Chairman Has Died". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "John Stewart Bryan III dies". Palm Beach Daily News. January 27, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Media General's J. Stewart Bryan III to Retire". Editor and Publisher. June 26, 2008. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Gilligan, Gregory J. (January 25, 2016). "J. Stewart Bryan III Remembered for His Integrity, Honesty, Fairness". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  6. 1 2 "Media General Inc. Chairman Bryan dies at 77". Boston Herald. Associated Press. January 14, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "JOHN STEWART BRYAN III DIES AT 77 Stewart Bryan had been Chairman of the Board of Media General since 1990, Media General press release". mediageneral.com. January 24, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  8. 1 2 3 "Stewart Bryan: Media Executive Still Feels Ink in His Veins". Richmond Times-Dispatch. December 13, 2015. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  9. 1 2 3 "J. Stewart Bryan III, A rare gentleman and dedicated newspaper man". Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial. January 25, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  10. ↑ "Jeff Schapiro: As a newspaperman, Bryan had a passion for politics". Richmond Times-Dispatch. January 26, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  11. ↑ "J. Stewart Bryan Inducted Into Business Hall of Fame, 2003, Video of Mr. Bryan describing his life and career". TVJerrySIFTER. January 24, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  12. ↑ "Media General Honors Stewart Bryan with Gift to Virginia Historical Society". Richmond Times-Dispatch. February 13, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-26.
  13. ↑ "Weddings; Talbott Bryan, Jack Maxey". The New York Times. December 31, 1995. Retrieved 2016-06-26.

External links

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