| PROFILE: Richard " Dick" H. Amberg, Jr. |
Dick is vice president and general
manager of The Washington Times and has been with
newspapers since leaving active Navy service in 1966 (he stayed in the Reserve and retired
as a captain). Dick started as a management trainee at the Staten Island Advance, was an
assistant editor at the Syracuse Post-Standard, and from 1972 to 1986 was at the St. Louis
Globe-Democrat, progressing to executive editor and general manager. He was publisher of
the Montgomery Advertiser for over 10 years and general manager of The Free Lance-Star
(Fredericksburg, Va.) before joining The Times at the end of 1998. He joined the MDDC
Board in 1999 and chairs the Circulation Committee.PERSONAL: How would you describe yourself? "Workaholic, low key, too accepting, idealistic, gung-ho, not a loner but not gregarious, loyal." EDUCATION: PROFESSIONAL: Least favorite part of job: "Failing to succeed in bringing about organizational change." Mentor: "There really has been none. My father, Richard H. Amberg, a giant in the newspaper field, died in 1967 as I was just starting out. He has been a constant inspiration." Biggest challenge of job: "Getting the public to appreciate The Washington Times as an outstanding, independent, important voice in journalism. … Our ownership is a red herring, but affects our success." Most serious challenge to today’s newsgatherers: "Time. So much to do and so little time. Newsgatherers are spread much too thin and newshole is never big enough." Main benefit you derive from MDDC membership: "Workshops, ad network, legislative watchdogging, and networking." FUN: Favorite music: "Toss-up between 19th century classical and 1950s oldies." Favorite car and car you drive now: " Cars are totally unimportant to me. I drive a 1995 Honda Civic only because several years ago someone plowed into my 1982 Toyota Tercel." Last book read: "‘Down in the Flood,’ an as-yet-unpublished novel by my son that I just received. A week before that, I read an untitled novel just completed by my daughter." Favorite TV show: "JAG – it’s the Navy man in me." Hobbies: "Chess, reading, pitiable jogging, pathetic weightlifting." Last or favorite vacation: "Last was to the Moroccan desert last year. Our family has been all over the world and any trip with the whole family is my favorite." How would you most like to spend one day: "I’m ashamed to say it, but I’m antsy on days I’m not working, unless it’s travel." Favorite quotation: "‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ (Matthew 6:21) In a sense it’s my least favorite, because it haunts me." If you could be anyone else, who would you be? "George Washington or Dwight Eisenhower, successful leaders of the nation in both war and peace." If you could meet anyone else (at any time in history), who would it be? "Jesus Christ. No one else or combination of people comes close." |