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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 13, 2003

At the request of Supervisor Roberts, the Board of Supervisors declared May 13, 2003 “Herbert G. Klein Day,” in recognition of the enormous contributions that Mr. Klein has made to San Diego over the past 50 years. At the Board of Supervisors’ meeting that day, Supervisor Roberts presented Mr. Klein with a proclamation and made some comments about the long-time Union-Tribune Editor, who is set to retire at the end of June.

Comments from Supervisor Roberts about Herb Klein:

It my privilege and pleasure this morning to recognize a man who has simply done more for San Diego than any person I know – the long-time editor-in-chief of Copley Newspapers, Mr. Herb Klein.

Herb is retiring next month from Copley Newspapers – which, of course, includes the company’s flagship paper, the Union-Tribune here in San Diego.

I have had the good fortune of knowing Herb for a very long time. He is truly a remarkable man who has enjoyed a spectacular career – a career that began as a copy boy in 1940 at the Alhambra Post-Advocate in the San Gabriel Valley and will end in just a few weeks as one of the most distinguished newspapermen in America.

He came to San Diego in 1950 as a feature and editorial writer for the Evening Tribune. He then went to work for the San Diego Union where he served as editorial page editor, associate editor, and executive editor before becoming editor from 1959 to 1968.

Along the way, he also dabbled a little bit in politics. He took a break from the newspaper business and rose to become the very first White House Communications Director, at the time serving in the administration of President Nixon.

Herb left the White House in 1973 and went to work as a Vice President for Metromedia, Inc., a national non-network broadcasting group; and later consulted a number of multi-billion dollar international companies.

In 1980, he returned to his first love – the newspaper business – when he was appointed editor-in-chief of Copley Newspapers, which includes 9 daily, 8 weekly and 1 bi-weekly newspapers in California, Illinois and Ohio.

Herb used his position for the good of San Diego. You will find his fingerprints on just about every major project undertaken in San Diego over the past 50 years, from the creation of San Diego Stadium in Mission Valley to the downtown ballpark -- projects that have forever changed the face and the heart of this city.

Today, as he approaches the finish line of a remarkable career that has spanned six decades, he continues to be one of the most well-respected and well-connected newspaper executives in America.

While he is set to retire next month, he has made it very clear that he has no intention to be found sitting in a rocking chair. In fact, according to sources, Herb’s already making plans to move into a new downtown office after he retires.

Herb, on behalf of a grateful County, I want to thank you for everything you have done for San Diego!

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Contact: Darren Pudgil (619) 531-5894