Experience

1998-Present: Freelance writer and consultant
•    Writing under my own byline and ghostwriting.
•    Appearing weekly as Chicago Tribune op-ed columnist (2000 to present) and regular contributor to RealClearPolitics.com, Human Events, PoliticalMavens and other publications
•    Chicago Sun-Times freelance op-ed columnist  appearing twice weekly (1998 to 2000).
•    Commercial writing of many kinds for corporate, governmental and other clients.
•    Consulting on public affairs matters and public relations.

1986-1998:  Chicago Sun-Times
•    Columnist: Appearing up to four times weekly in Commentary section; writing on public policy, political, economic, cultural and other topics of my choosing.
•    Editorial Board Member: Responsible for setting newspaper’s editorial policy, writing editorials, endorsing political candidates and interviewing government office holders, corporate executives, civic and community leaders, and a multitude of others.


1984-1986:  Director of Public Relations, Specialty Chemicals Division, AlliedSignal, Inc., Des Plaines, IL
•    Responsible for public relations for this $1-billion regional headquarters of a Fortune 50 company. Helped move the company’s corporate image toward one of a high-tech enterprise.
•    Oversaw public relations for its dozen operating divisions, from developers of petroleum processes to the commercialization of reverse osmosis water purifiers.
•    Writing and public relations for the AlliedSignal Corporate Research Center, interpreting complex scientific and engineering developments for mainstream media.

1978-1984:  Chicago Sun-Times
•    Science and Technology Writer: 1981-1984
•    Transportation Writer: 1978-1981
•    Special Projects Writer, heading up political polling, computer analysis of public issues and other projects.

1970-1978:  Chicago Daily News
•    Assistant Financial Editor: 1975-1976
•    Urban Affairs Reporter: 1971-1974; 1976-1978
•    General Assignment Reporter: 1970-1971


1967-1970:  United States Navy
•    Assistant Supply Officer, U.S. Naval Air Reserve Station,  Olathe, Kansas: 1969-1970.
•    Disbursing Officer and Assistant Supply Officer, USS Jonas Ingram (DD-938), homeported in Mayport, Florida: 1967-1969.
•    Student, U.S. Navy Supply Corps School, Athens, Georgia, 1997.
•    Officer Candidate, Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island, 1997.

1965-1966: Chicago Daily News
•    General Assignment Reporter

1962: DePere Journal-Democrat, De Pere, Wisconsin
•    Summer Editorial Intern

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Education
•    Post Graduate Russell Sage Fellow in Social Science Writing, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 1964-1965
•    M.S. Urban Affairs, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 1963-1964
•    B.A. Journalism, Marquette University, 1959-1963

 
Recognitions
•    Nominated for Pulitzer Prize by the Chicago Sun-Times for column writing, 1998.
•    Nominated for Pulitzer Prize by the Chicago Sun-Times for investigative series on police underreporting of rape cases, 1982.
•    Nominated for Pulitzer Prize by Chicago Daily News, for investigative series on shoddy home construction, 1973
•    Peter Lisagor Award, presented by the Chicago Headline Club, for editorial writing, 1991, 1993.
•    UPI, third Place Award for Spot News reporting in Illinois, for mass transit funding crisis, 1981.
•    Chicago Newspaper Guild Stick-O-Type Award for editorial writing, 1988.
•    Chicago Newspaper Guild Stick-O-Type Ward for analytical reporting on the crash of American Airlines DC-10 in Chicago, 1979.