Profile: Tom Kunkel |
 Tom is dean of
the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and president of
American Journalism Review. He has held these positions since the summer of 2000. An
editor and author, Kunkel spent most of his career in newspaper management, having worked
at the Cincinnati Post, Miami Herald, New York Times, San Jose Mercury News and other
publications. When he was appointed to run the Columbus (GA) Ledger and Enquirer in 1985,
he was, at 29, the youngest executive editor in the history of Knight Ridder Newspapers.
He has written two book and edited two others.PERSONAL: Education: B.A. in political science from the University of Evansville, 1977; M.A. in humanities from the University of Evansville, 1979. How would you describe yourself: "Passionate; congenial; competent in many fields, master of none." PROFESSIONAL: Least favorite part of job: "Bureaucracy." List and briefly describe your mentor: "Jerry Ceppos, a Maryland journalism grad and now vice president for news for Knight Ridder. He hired me in Miami, then again in San Jose, and he taught me never to settle for anything but excellence – in people, stories or professional standards." Biggest challenge: "Trying to figure out where journalism is going, and how it’s going there." Most serious challenge to newsgatherers today: "The growing influence corporate bottom-line considerations are having on news operations." Main benefit you derive from MDDC membership: "It has helped me understand how Maryland and greater Washington work." FUN: Favorite type(s) of music: "Almost anything pre-1973." Favorite car and the car you drive now: "My favorite car would be a 1990-vintage Jaguar, a vehicle I am quite sure I will never own. The car I drive is a Camry." Last book read: "Blind Faith" (a soon-to-be published book about Stevie Wonder’s childhood and his mother) Last movie seen: "Shrek" Favorite TV show: "The Sopranos" Hobbies: "Golf, cooking, reading, handyman activities around the house." Favorite or last vacation: "Seeing family in Indiana." How would you most like to spend one day: "Walking the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club in April." Favorite quotation: "One day I’m going to write my biography, and I’ll call it ‘My Life on a Limb.’ " – Harold Ross, founding editor of The New Yorker. If you could meet anyone else (at any time in history), who would it be? "Jesus Christ. There’s much I’d like to ask Him." |