Fred Stickel, the publisher of The Oregonian, is retiring tomorrow after more than 40 years with the newspaper and the staff is throwing him a surprise party in the afternoon.Don't worry, I'm not spoiling anything. At 87, the silver-haired former Marine is still sharp as a tack, in both dress and mind, and setting a wonderful example for those of us 30 years younger -- but one thing I know he hasn't mastered is the Internet. So, no worries about him stumbling across this post.
Corporate bosses are generally portrayed as soulless capitalists, but Fred truly enjoyed the respect of the newsroom. Visitors who attended the annual journalism awards luncheon held in his name never failed to be amazed at the standing ovation he'd receive from the newsroom staff.
Fred's legacy is pretty well summed up in the editorial we ran Sunday: Fred Stickel, uncommon leader.
Personally, I will forever respect him for three things: 1) his hiring of Bill Hilliard and Sandy Rowe, the first African American and first woman, respectively, to serve as editor; 2) his hands-off philosophy (and practice) with regard to the separation between the news and business sides; 3) his writing of a Page One editorial statement in 1992 to oppose Ballot Measure 9, which would have restricted the rights of gays and lesbians in Oregon. Stickel is known to all as a staunchly conservative Catholic (he rejected condom and phone sex ads), so it was the last thing I would have expected from him -- but also the most meaningful.
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