Richmond, VA – John Stewart Bryan III (“Stewart”), Chairman of the Board of Media General, Inc., died yesterday at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. Mr. Bryan was 77 years old. His death resulted from complications related to neck injuries sustained in a fall on January 15, 2016.
Media General owns WRBL News 3 in Columbus, as well as 70 other television stations across the country. Bryan was the former publisher of the Richmond-Times Dispatch, and as a fourth generation newsman, he believed that the press played an important role in history. Even before his illustrious 50-year career, Bryan’s great-grandfather bought the Richmond Times-Dispatch back in 1887.
A LEGACY
Bryan eventually joined Media General’s board in 1974. In 1990, he began serving as chairman. Bryan lead Media General as CEO from 1990-2005. Bryan is survived by his wife, Lisa-Margaret (“Lissy”) Stevenson Bryan; his daughters Elizabeth Talbott Bryan Maxey (“Talbott”) of Palm Beach, Fla., and Anna Saulsbury Bryan (Stephen) Sullivan, of Wilson, Wyoming; five grandchildren, Tennant and Alice Maxey, and Pryor, Stewart and Harriett Sullivan; his sisters Mary Tennant Bryan Perkins of Richmond, Va., and Florence Talbott Bryan Fowlkes of Gordonsville, Va.; his sisters-in-law Susan Stevenson Badder of Baltimore, Md., and Sharon (Charles) Stevenson Griffith, of Pound Ridge, NY; four nephews, Bryan (Kathryn) Fowlkes, Nathaniel Badder, Cable (Jess) Griffith, and Alden (Katie) Griffith and their three children. He was predeceased by his parents, D. Tennant Bryan and Mary Harkness Davidson Bryan.
THE “NEWSPAPERMAN”
Throughout half a century of service in the news industry, Bryan also served as publisher of four newspapers, including the aforementioned Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Richmond News Leader, The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Times. Mr. Bryan believed strongly in a free press and was proud to call himself a “newspaperman.” He often said he “enjoyed almost every day” that he spent working in the media business.
THE MAN BEHIND THE “NEWSPAPERMAN”
Bryan was born in Richmond on May 4, 1938. He was educated at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, the Episcopal High School in Alexandria (class of 1956), and the University of Virginia (BA in philosophy 1960). He served on active duty as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960 to 1962, and went to law school at the University of Virginia for one year (1962-63).
Earlier in his career, Bryan held summer jobs in the mailing room and circulation departments of The Richmond News Leader from 1954-1957. He went to work full-time as an ad salesman for The Burlington (VT) Free Press in 1963, and as a reporter for The Tampa (FL) Times in 1965, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1967. He covered sessions of the Florida and Virginia legislatures in 1967 and 1968. He returned to Florida as vice president of The Tribune Co. in Tampa in 1968, became executive vice president in 1971 and was named publisher of The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Times in 1976. He moved to Richmond in 1978 as president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader. Those two newspapers merged in 1992.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Bryan had been an active member of the boards of the George C. Marshall Foundation, Virginia Historical Society, and Bryan Brothers Inc. He was formerly a director or trustee of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, Newspaper Association of America, Associated Press, Virginia Press Association, Florida Press Association, United Press Advisory Board, Mutual Insurance Co. of Bermuda Ltd., Maymont Foundation, Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, Metropolitan Richmond Chamber of Commerce, University of Tampa Board of Trustees, University of South Florida Council of Advisors, Metropolitan Foundation, Leadership Metro Richmond, Valentine Museum, Episcopal High School, St. Catherine’s School, Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation, Virginia Council
on Economic Education, The Denver Post, Foundation for American Communications, World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, Hoover Institution of War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University, College Foundation of the University of Virginia, the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Florida State Chamber of Commerce, Florida State Fair, and University Club of Tampa.
His accomplishments continued, having served as chairman or president of Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, United Fund of Tampa, Tampa Bay Art Center, Tampa Citizen’s Safety Council, Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, Goodwill Industries of Richmond, Junior Achievement of Richmond, United Way of Greater Richmond, Newspaper Advertising Bureau, Florida Press Association, Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, and SNPA Foundation. He has served as campaign chairman of the Tampa United Fund and the Richmond United Way, and is a Founder of the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico. He was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Advisory Board, the Commission of the Future of Florida’s Public Universities, and was vice chairman of the Virginia Higher Education Tuition Trust Fund Board. He was a member of the Country Club of Virginia, Commonwealth Club, Tampa Yacht Club, Nantucket Yacht Club, Bohemian Club, and Farmington Country Club.
He was awarded honorary doctor of humane letters degrees from Hampden-Sydney College, Emory & Henry College, College of William & Mary, and Randolph-Macon College.
Bryan was inducted as a laureate of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame and the Richmond Business Hall of Fame. He received the outstanding service award of the Florida Press Association, the lifetime achievement award of the Virginia Press Association, the Frank Mayborn Leadership Award of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, the George Mason Award for significant contributions to the advancement of journalism in Virginia from the Society of Professional Journalists, Virginia Pro Chapter (SPJVA), and the medal of honor of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He and his wife, Lissy, received the deTocqueville Award of the United Way of Greater Richmond.
John Stewart Bryan III Dies At 77