In 1976, he graduated summa cum laude from. Two years later, he attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland on a Marshall Scholarship, graduating with a bachelor of laws degree. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Edinburgh.
He began working for the Times as a local news reporter. From 1990-1991, he was the editor and publisher of Florida Trend, which was owned by Times Publishing. Together they have two daughters.
One is a physician at Duke University Medical Center and the other is a student at Duke Law School.
In 2006 he was made a member of the Pulitzer Prize board, the Associated Press, and the Committee to Protect Journalists. He is also a member of the Florida Council of 100, a group of business leaders.
