Profile: John Worthington
John is a "lifer" at The Aegis/Homestead Publishing Co. He arrived there in 1973, worked as a reporter for five years and then went into management. Currently he is vice president and publisher for Homestead Publishing, which publishes The Aegis, The Record, APG News and Weekender. He was the fourth generation of Worthingtons to come into the family business and when the company was sold to The Baltimore Sun in 1986, stayed on. John was president of the MDDC Press Association in 1986-87.

PERSONAL:
Born April 16, 1951; single.

How would you describe yourself? "Easy going, love a good laugh and enjoy people. Like all longtime newspaper people, however, I am a bit cynical."

Education: Saint James School, MD 1969.Guilford College, NC 1973

PROFESSIONAL:
Favorite part of your current job: "The people I work with. They are terrific and always so supportive."

Least favorite thing about your job: "Going to so many public banquets/dinners. Over the last three decades, I’ve eaten enough chicken to sprout wings!"

List and briefly describe your mentor: "My father. He taught me early on the great joy, and responsibility, that can come with running a newspaper."

Biggest challenge: "Building our circulation to keep pace with the huge household growth in our county."

Most serious challenge to newsgatherers today: "The ‘shoot the messenger’ mentality so many public officials and citizens have about newspapers. It seems to grow every year and is, for the most part, very unjustified."

Main benefit you derive from MDDC membership: "Getting to know other newspaper people and share information. Some of my oldest friendships are with people I met through our press association, and I always marvel at the way newspaper people are willing to help each other. MDDC makes a lot of that possible, and it’s invaluable to our industry."

FUN:
Fantasy job: "The executive director of a large charitable foundation."

Favorite music: "Oldies."

Favorite car and the car you drive now: "My favorite car was a 1995 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta I sold a few years ago. I was either going to get killed speeding around, or go broke maintaining it, but what a thrill to drive. I currently have a 2001 Buick LeSabre, affectionately called ‘The Geezermobile’ by my co-workers."

Last book read: "The Rector of Justin" by Louis Auchincloss.

Last movie seen: "Behind Enemy Lines"

Favorite TV show: "Law and Order, even without Angie Harmon!"

Hobbies: "Reading, farm work, gardening, hunting."

Last or favorite vacation: "Jackson Hole, Wyoming"

How would you most like to spend one day: "Getting to go everywhere, including all the meetings and meals, with the President of the United States."

Favorite quotation: "So we beat on, boats against the current, born back ceaselessly into the past." It’s from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

If you could be anyone else, who would you be: "Former President George HW Bush. A good and decent man who spent most of his life in service to his country."

If you could meet anyone else (any time in history), who would it be: "Abraham Lincoln."

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