Jerry Bellune

Background

Bellune was born on April 30, 1936, in Greenville, South Carolina (U.S.)

Career

After two years in the United States. Army in of Korea, he majored in literature and philosophy at the University of South Carolina and Furman University but did not graduate. He worked first at the Greenville, South Carolina (U.S.) News, and then the Charlotte News. He then worked successive as an editor at the Yonkers, New York, Herald Statesman. the Morning Call in Paterson, North.J, and the Bergen Record.

In 1974, he became city editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, and then editor of the Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania

B, and then, Gannett Newspapers" daily Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, North.J, where he launched a Sunday edition In 1980,he was hired as a consultant to remake the design of The Philadelphia Bulletin.

After the closing of the Bulletin, Bellune coached editors and reporters at more than two dozen newspapers across the country, edited two magazines and started a newspaper executive search firm. After disagreements with their majority partners, the Bellunes left The Dispatch News and launched the Lexington County Chronicle in 1992.

After nine years of competition between the two local newspapers, the owner of The Dispatch News asked them to buy him out.

In retirement, Bellune started Riverbanks Press, publishing 11 books and self-study courses. Bellune is a former president of the South Carolina Press Association and has been named its Journalist of the Year.

Achievements

• In 1979, the newspaper’s series of articles on malfeasance in a monastic order won the Pulitzer Prize. Under his guidance, the Bulletin’s opinion pages won numerous awards.

Membership

He is a longtime member of the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters International for which he helped establish three chapters and served as president and area governor.