ELON COLLEGE – Richard Simmons, who was president of The Washington Post Co. from 1981 to 1991, will share his experiences in the publishing industry with Elon College faculty, students and the community during a two-day visit later this month.
Simmons will participate in a town meeting with students at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 in Yeager Recital Hall in the Faith Rockefeller Model Center for the Arts and discuss the growth of the publishing and information industries. The event is free and open to the public.
He will discuss media in the 21st century during a 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 dinner in McKinnon Hall. The dinner costs $20. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Jane Gilliam at (336) 584-2566 or email: gilliam@elon.edu
Simmons is credited with making major contributions in expanding the newspaper into one of the country’s most respected publication by Katherine Graham, the former publisher of the Post, in her 1997 autobiography.
Prior to joining the Washington Post, Simmons was associated with Dun & Bradstreet Corp. in various roles, serving as president of Moody’s Investors Service, president of Dun & Bradstreet Inc. and vice chairman and director. He began his career as an associate in the New York law firm of Satterlee and Stephens.
Simmons is director of the Washington Post Co., J.P. Morgan & Co. Inc. and Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York, Union Pacific Corp. and Yankee Publishing Inc. He is a member of the General Electric Investment Corp. Equity Advisory Board and a council member of the White Burkett Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
He is a graduate of Harvard University and the Columbia University School of Law.
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