Profile: Chuck Lyons
Chuck is president of Post-Newsweek Media, Inc., which publishes 38 Gazette community newspapers, 12 military publications, three technology magazines and six Internet sites in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region. An executive with The Washington Post Company for eight years, he began his publishing career as a reporter for his hometown daily newspaper, The Owosso (MI) Argus-Press, where he won the Associated Press Managing Editor’s top award for reporting on the economic decline of the Midwestern town where he grew up. His publishing career included five years as president of Chesapeake Publishing and publisher of the Star-Democrat in Easton, MD.

PERSONAL:
Born July 23, 1946. Married to Sandra Neale Lyons. Blended family of seven children.

How would you describe yourself? "Passionate about newspapers that practice great journalism and community service; and organizations that care for the people who work there and create security around credible business performance."

Education: MA in Journalism, Michigan State University, 1973.

PROFESSIONAL:
Favorite part of your job: "Growing our organization."

Least favorite thing about your job: "Management always consumes more of your life than it should. Achievement has a price."

List and briefly describe your mentors: "Art Klein, managing editor of The Owosso (MI) Argus-Press, on courageous frontline journalism; John Ginn, group vice president, Harte-Hanks, on managing and leading the organization; Dr. Kenneth S. Armstrong, president, John Wesley College, on innovative marketing."

Biggest challenge: "Finding and developing people with competency and values."

Most serious challenge to newsgatherers: "The 24/7 news cycle has sensationalized news and lowered the bar on accuracy."

Main benefit you derive from MDDC membership: "Advocacy, training, and the commission check."

FUN:
Fantasy job: "Conducting an orchestra. Coaching a great college basketball team."

Favorite music: "All music, except contemporary rock/hip-hop."

Favorite car and the car you drive now: "Ford Explorer, the original. Now own Ford Expedition, big car, big mistake."

Last book read: "Morgan’s Run" by Colleen McCullough.

Hobbies: "Fishing for rockfish (taking up fly-fishing), writing a column on real life, music, and a good cup of coffee on a cool morning on a lake with the sound of the loon."

How would you most like to spend one day: "In self-indulgence: writing, reading with music in the background, a hike with my wife or kids, fishing, kayaking – no emails, no voice mails."

Favorite quotation: "‘Life begins at 50.’ (It’s a helpful quote when you are 55.)"

If you could be anyone else, who would you be: "The editor of a prosperous weekly newspaper in a small town, in Maine or Montana, with a nearby trout stream and mountains."

If you could meet anyone else (any time in history), who would it be: "Lots of folks: Jefferson. T. Roosevelt. Augustine. Wesley. Hemingway."

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