Profile: Tom Bradlee
Tom Bradlee is president and CEO of Chesapeake Publishing Corporation headquartered in Elkton, MD. Tom’s career with Chesapeake, which was then known as Tri-State Publishing, began in 1968. He became general manager/publisher of Chesapeake’s Southern Delaware division in 1970 and in 1982 was named publisher of The Cecil Whig and Chesapeake’s Upper Shore Division. While publisher of The Whig, he led the conversion of the paper from a weekly to a daily. In 1987 Tom was named president/CEO. He was elected to the MDDD Board of Directors in 1975 and served as president in 1984. He is also a past board member and president (1988) of the National Newspaper Association. In 1999/2000 he served as president of the Suburban Newspapers of America, where he has been an officer and director since 1989.

PERSONAL:
Born Nov. 18, 1946, in Buffalo, NY. Married 26 years to Carol Ireland. Three children, Christina, Russell and Laura.

Education: Strayer College and United States Marine Corps

How would you describe yourself: "Friendly and outgoing with a positive attitude towards life. I enjoy people and have always enjoyed the newspaper business. And most of all, I enjoy my family and close friends."

PROFESSIONAL:
Favorite part of job: "Being able to see the big picture and getting involved in any aspect of the business when I choose to."

Least favorite thing about your job: "Dealing with the ever-increasing legal aspects of doing business these days."

List and briefly describe your mentor: "Rodney Smith taught me how to work, and I admired E. Ralph Hostetter’s approach to life."

Biggest challenge: "Keeping everyone focused on the importance of quality, whether it be community journalism, color reproduction or distribution."

Most serious challenge to newsgatherers today: "Reader apathy… there seems to be an ever-increasing portion of the population with a "low need-to-know" or "I-don’t care" mentality."

Main benefit you derive from MDDC membership: "Interaction and discussions with other publishers."

FUN:
Fantasy job: "Curator at the Baseball Hall of Fame."

Favorite music: "60s oldies."

Favorite car and car you drive now: "Infiniti Q45 for both."

Last book read: "Fiery Cross" by Diana Gabaldon.

Last movie seen: "Castaway"

Favorite TV show: "Frasier"

Hobbies: "Golf, snow skiing, collecting old baseball cards."

Last or favorite vacation: "Beaver Creek, Colorado."

How would you most like to spend one day: "My father died when I was a teenager. I would love to spend a day talking to him man to man."

Favorite quotation: "You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails."

If you could meet anyone else (any time in history) who would it be? "Babe Ruth or John Wayne."

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