Experience in Journalism and Publishing
- Reporter and editor, SouthComm Inc., 2005-2011. Covered business news for NashvillePost.com and breaking general news for The City Paper, as well as occasional features for Nashville Scene. Created monthly “Headline Homes” real estate feature, weekly “Nashville at Law” column and annual “In Memoriam” obituary issue of the Scene. Furnished news items gathered from various sources to other reporters for coverage.
Member of three-person editorial team retained by NashvillePost.com‘s venture backer to resume operation of that local business/politics news service in 2005 after it had been dormant for three months. Edited most content and led process of reinventing news product in 2006-07 while also filing hundreds of stories. Helped develop and implement unique story-tagging system that turbocharged search engine performance.
NashvillePost.com earned four regional SPJ “Green Eyeshades Awards” in competition with the largest news organizations in the Southeast. Readership and subscription sales increased exponentially. - Nashville stringer for national desk of The New York Times. 1996 – 2001; 2004 – 2008.
- Staff Writer, HealthLeaders magazine. July 2004 – April 2005 (temporary position).
- Country risk assessment expert for London-based Exclusive Analysis Ltd., evaluating levels of danger from war, terrorism, civil unrest and political turmoil. Covered most of Western Europe. Sept. 2003 – Oct. 2004.
- Co-founder and co-manager (with John Egerton) of Beaten Biscuit Press, LLC, Nashville. 2000 – 2001. Company established to publish Nashville: An American Self-Portrait, a book of writings and photos portraying the many dimensions of a rapidly changing city. Arranged for six-figure funding from venture capital firm. Secured article contributions from writers including Lamar Alexander, Roy Blount Jr., Jean Bethke Elshtain, Bruce Feiler and David Halberstam. Wrote one of the book’s twelve keystone essays, as well as other contributions.
- Stringer for small-business desk of The Wall Street Journal. 1996 – 2001.
- Product development consultant, Champs-Elysees, Inc., Nashville-based publisher of European language-education “audiomagazines.” 1999 – 2000.
- Co-author, The Warner Parks: Nashville’s Natural Legacy (with photographer Terry Livingstone). Wrote text for photo book to benefit educational programs at Nashville’s largest park. 2000.
- President, Eagle Communications, Inc., Nashville. 1997 – 1999. Conceived and implemented strategies to turn around a business near failure. As editor and publisher of magazines Nashville Life and Business Nashville, managed 8 to 10 employees and dozens of freelance relationships. Personally handled wide variety of responsibilities at various times: Quark page design, BPA circulation statement preparation, state sales tax audit management, settlement with federal authorities over prior regulatory violations, coordination of collections litigation, acquisition of new technology, development of reader demographic research, preparation of sales promotional materials, and organization of promotional events. Company paid off $100,000 of indebtedness from cash flow in nine months, posting its largest profit ever.
- Business and investigative reporter, The Tennessean, Nashville, 1993 – 1995. Carried out two major investigative projects, each spanning several months and yielding dramatic results.
- Author, Karski: How One Man Tried to Stop the Holocaust (with co-author Stanislaw M. Jankowski). True story of Polish envoy Jan Karski, who brought news of the Holocaust to the West. Published in English by John Wiley and Sons, 1994; German and Polish editions, 1996. Over 10,000 copies sold. Favorably reviewed in more than 50 publications in seven countries. Interview features on CNN, National Public Radio, BBC World Service, Australian Broadcasting Co., and German and Polish national television. (Summary of television appearances online here — 66mb video file)
- Editor, Bank Director, Nashville. 1990 – 1993. Founding editor of financial magazine that remains successful to this day.
- Articles on a wide range of topics for publications including The New York Times Magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, Spy, Corporate Board Member, World War II, Oxford American, the Nashville Scene and the Nashville Business Journal. 1986 – present.
Experience in Education
- Under auspices of U.S. Information Agency, presented courses in investigative research and business journalism at three universities in Romania. 1997.
- Numerous appearances before youth audiences in U.S., Poland and Germany to discuss historical topics and journalism/publishing career options .
Community activities
- Board member, state-chartered Tennessee Commission on Holocaust Education. 1998 – present. (Treasurer, 1999-2001.)
Recognition
- Reviewer comments on Nashville: An American Self-Portrait: Southern Living magazine hailed book as “a monumental undertaking” and “a glorious tribute.” Nashville Scene reviewer cited “commandingly” written chapter on power and money dynamics in the city.
- Reviewer comments on Karski: How One Man Tried to Stop the Holocaust: “This is a riveting as well as a harrowing read” (The Times, London). “More than just a spy thriller” (Der Spiegel). “An extremely interesting and valuable study” (Slavonic and East European Review). An “engrossing biography” (Publishers Weekly).
- Led Nashville Life team to national award in City and Regional Magazine Association competition. 1998.
- Awarded grant for Holocaust research from City University of New York. 1996.
- Won The Tennessean’s monthly writing award four times; nominated for national award from parent Gannett Co. 1995.
- Profiled in Contemporary Authors; listed in Marquis Who’s Who.
- Books and articles cited as sources in at least 26 works of history and biography.
Education
- M.Phil. in European Studies, Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2002. High Performance distinction in coursework examinations, ranking 4th out of 43 students. Dissertation topic: “Wars on Terror: French and British Responses to the Anarchist Violence of the 1890s.” Recommended for continuation to Ph.D.
- B.A. with majors in English and Classical Studies, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 1986. Academic scholarship for classical studies. Won university’s top journalistic award; active for four years at campus radio station .
Languages
- Polish: once nearly fluent, now rusty but can quickly refresh.
- French, German, Spanish: good reading knowledge; limited speaking ability.
- Russian, Romanian, Hebrew: some knowledge; substantial experience.
