Connecting - June 22, 2023

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Connecting

June 22, 2023

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Colleagues,

Good Thursday morning on this June 22, 2023,

Connecting extends congratulations to family and friends and former AP colleagues of the late Jane See White on her election Wednesday to the Missouri Press Association Newspaper Hall of Fame. A native of Mexico, Mo., White worked for the AP from 1976 to 1981 as an editor on the World Desk in New York; her time there included work as a member of a six-person team writing national feature stories.

Her career as a journalist included work at The Kansas City Star, the Phoenix Gazette and The Arizona Republic, and the Arizona Daily Star. She worked more than 16 years as an adjunct professor with the University of Arizona School of Journalism. She died in January 2023, and her inclusion in the Hall of Fame marks the fourth of her family to be inducted.

Another inductee with AP ties was the late Terez Paylor, who from his work at The Kansas City Star to Yahoo! Sports had a lasting effect on Missouri sports reporting and was seen as an industry-wide force for the promotion of other Black journalists. His fiance' at the time of his death in 2021, at age 37, was our colleague Ebony Reed, who has raised more than $200,000 for two scholarships named in his honor, the Terez A. Paylor Scholarship for Howard University and the PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship in memory of Terez Paylor.

Ebony is Chief Strategy Officer for The Marshall Project. Earlier in her career, she worked for the AP from 2010 to 2016, in Business Development and as New England assistant chief of bureau based in Boston.

Jane and Terez are among five new inductees who will join the Hall of Fame on Sept. 22 during the MPA’s annual convention in St. Louis. They also include the late Eugene Webster Sharp, a legendary journalism educator at the Missouri School of Journalism; Dr. Donald M. Suggs, longtime owner and publisher of the St. Louis American; and Dan Wehmer, publisher and owner of the Webster County Citizen, Seymour.

We provided full coverage in Wednesday's issue of the death of our colleague Jack Stokes - and today’s issue leads with the wire story that moved later that day, followed by the thoughts of those who worked with him during his long AP career. If you would like to join them with your own memories, please send them along.

Have a great day – be safe, stay healthy, live the day to your fullest.

Paul

Former AP journalist and spokesman Jack Stokes dies at 73

Jack Stokes reacts as AP President Tom Curley presents him with a customized photo of the New York Giants' 2008 Super Bowl win, during Stokes' retirement party at New York headquarters, Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Stokes was honored for his 39 years of service to the AP. Curley also asked Stokes to accompany him to the Giants' opening game against the Dallas Cowboys this coming season. (Photo by Santos Chaparro)

By DEEPTI HAJELA

NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Stokes, a veteran journalist with The Associated Press who was the news cooperative’s steadfast supporter and served as its spokesman during the last years of his decades-long career before his retirement, has died. He was 73.

Stokes, an avid cyclist and athlete, died unexpectedly after collapsing at his home in Queens on Sunday evening, said his longtime partner, Lorene Bradshaw.

He was remembered fondly by former colleagues as a calm, funny and charming presence everywhere from shifts working overnight in his early days to the company’s basketball league that ran for a few years toward the end of his time at the AP.

“Jack was a beloved colleague to generations of AP employees and at many times felt like our center of gravity,” said Josh Hoffner, national news director for the AP. “He loved the camaraderie of the AP and enhanced it every day.”

The widely known and outgoing Stokes was often a bridge among AP’s various departments, making regular stops in different parts of the organization and its New York headquarters news operations to stop and chat. When people would ask him what was new, he’d retort: “You tell me.”

Stokes had started working at the AP in 1971 in temporary stints while still in college, before becoming a full-time hire in 1974 and spending about a dozen years with the AP’s broadcast operations in New York City and in Washington.

He switched to the company’s corporate communications in 1986 and then spent just over a decade in human resources, where he played a vital role in programs including its internship program for college students.

“His approach to diversity, staff development and mentorship was truly ahead of its time,” said Michael Giarrusso, AP’s deputy head of newsgathering for global beats. “He launched hundreds of AP careers and built trust with bureau chiefs and department heads by putting the right interns in the right openings.”

Stokes returned to communications in 1998 and remained there until his retirement in 2012, always a champion for the AP’s news values — as in April 2005, when he wrote to the editors of The Harvard Crimson in response to an editorial chastising the company. In his letter, he referred to what he called “a basic tenet of AP journalism: impartiality.”

Stokes “was the biggest cheerleader for AP that anybody could be,” Bradshaw said. “He loved it,” she said. “He loved the people there.”

Raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, Stokes came to the city to go to college at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus, where he and Bradshaw met, she said. He was an eager explorer of everything the city had to offer, whether it was on a bicycle riding through the boroughs or taking in theater and other events.

Plans for a memorial are still being formulated.

Click here for link to this story.

Memories of Jack Stokes

Both celebrating 35 years with AP, AP Images photo editor Suzanne Vlamis and media relations manager Jack Stokes attend a reception before the AP 25-Year Club dinner at New York headquarters, Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)

From left: White Plains correspondent Jim Fitzgerald, Newsfeatures editor Jerry Schwartz and media relations manager Jack Stokes attend a reception before the AP 25-Year Club dinner at New York headquarters, Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)

Bryan Brumley - The news of Jack Stokes' death was deeply saddening. He was perhaps the kindest, most caring of AP executives. Every encounter with him was uplifting. After Myles Tierney was killed and Ian Stewart gravely injured in Sierra Leone, Jack was a steady source of support as we worked toward Ian's recovery.

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Paul Colford - On joining AP Corporate Communications as director of media relations in 2007, I had the privilege of being Jack Stokes’ boss.

A week or two before my start date, I asked Jack, who was manager of media relations, to join me for a cup of coffee, in the Starbucks located in the lobby of 450 W. 33rd St., then AP headquarters.

It was clear in the first few minutes of our chat that Jack was the consummate gentleman. Now afternoon, when many neckties have succumbed to gravity, Jack’s was still tightly knotted.

At one point he leaned forward and told me, “Part of my job will be to make you look good.”

Whether Jack succeeded in making me “look good,” I’ll leave it for others to judge.

I do know that Jack, who was first in the door each morning and the last to leave at night, was the fiercest defender of AP and the staunchest admirer of its journalists.

Rest in peace, Jack, and thanks for your vigilance.

— 30 —

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Rick Cooper - I was saddened to hear of Jack's passing. I was just thinking of Jack the other day and wondering why he had dropped out of sight.

Jack was one of my favorite people. I had the privilege of working with him in the AP's Human Resources department when he and Margy McCay were reinventing the AP's recruiting program. We shared a love of classical music and constantly kidded each other about which was the superior of the two New York City commercial classical music FM stations in the 1980s as each of us had one or the other playing in our respective offices.

Another of my favorite Jack Stokes events was Jack's appearance on the telecast of the first Comic Relief show hosted by Billy Crystal, Whoppy Goldberg and Robin Williams.

Jack was on his way to the subway from the AP offices at 50 Rock and while passing the Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue somehow got recruited to see the performance gratis. Jack ended up sitting front row center in the auditorium and for some reason the three hosts started playing right to him. Numerous times during the telecast the camera cut to Jack showing his reaction.

When asked about his 15 minutes of international TV fame, in typical Jack Stokes "aw shucks fashion" he said next time I will buy a ticket in the balcony.

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Dan Day - How on earth can I put into words how much Jack Stokes meant to the AP and to me? A kind, caring, multi-talented soul, Jack served the AP in so many ways. When I recall the innumerable ways he helped me and project that onto all our colleagues he supported and guided over the years, the impact is immense.

For my bureau chief years, Jack was a comforting, counseling voice on the phone, guiding me through the recruiting and hiring processes and helping me think through solutions to challenging personnel issues. His judgment was superb, always informed by his integrity, his compassionate nature, and his devotion to doing what was best for the AP and its people.

I am so very sorry that he has left us.

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Michael Giarrusso - I was so sad to hear about the death of Jack Stokes. One of the many jobs Jack was put in charge of during his career at AP was leading the internship program. This was during the period when the internship was built for minority college students and recent graduates as part of a lawsuit filed against AP by women and people of color. Some bureaus and staffers were more friendly to working with the interns, and Jack patiently placed interns – sometimes 15-20 a year - into bureaus where they would have a chance to succeed. Over the years, he developed a system of mentors – former interns, minority staffers and kind managers. The group would train, coach and do career counseling with interns and those who became temps or full-time staffers. It was an incredible network, that I still use today – 31 years after my internship ended. His approach to diversity, staff development and mentorship was truly ahead of its time, and he did all this as a side job. He launched hundreds of AP careers and built trust with bureau chiefs and department heads by putting the right interns in the right openings.

The photo above is Pauline Arrillaga and I with Jack at our 25th anniversary dinner in 2017. We were both in the intern class of 1992, and both came back to help recruit, select and coach interns multiple times over the years.

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Charlie Hanley – Like so many others, I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Jack’s sudden death. Among our cohort of AP baby boomers, there was no one kinder, more thoughtful and more caring for his colleagues than Jack. More than once I found myself leaning on sturdy Stokes for support and encouragement during difficult times. I’ll be forever grateful for that, and for simply having known this terrific man.

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Mike Holmes - I’m so saddened to hear of Jack’s passing. He was always there to help.

I also found out that he had a great sense of humor when he responded to one of my wiseacre missives.

AP was required to complete a federal survey of Vietnam-era veterans in our bureaus. Returning the form to Jack, I asked: is there a bonus for actually having served IN Vietnam? (I did two tours with the Navy.)

About two weeks later, I got one of those official blue envelopes, on which Jack had written: “Stokes Bonus Program.”

Inside was a coupon for free fries with my next Big Mac.

I’m still laughing about it.

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Lindel Hutson - A sad day to learn that Jack Stokes has died. I had known Jack since my New York days and he was such a delightful person.

Jack always had a solution to any problem I brought to him during his years in Human Resources.

After we retired, I could always count on a pleasant Christmas greeting from him. He left us way too early.

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Jack Stokes and Mark Meinero attend a N.Y. Mets game, the week before Stokes died.

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Michelle Morgante - I am saddened to learn of the loss of Jack Stokes. Jack was one of the first people I met in the AP. He was in charge of the internship program in the late 1980s and was the person who called me to let me know that I'd been selected as an intern. I'd come home from a class at UC Santa Barbara to find a note from one of my roommates (we didn't have an answering machine) letting me know that Jack Stokes of the AP was trying to reach me. My boyfriend at the time knew it'd be good news and said, "Jack Stokes is going to stoke ya!"

I called him back and he gave me the good news. Now, I had applied in the Los Angeles AP bureau, tested and interviewed in the L.A. bureau and, as Jack spoke, I began to mentally prepare myself on the logistics of spending a summer in Los Angeles. He went into the details of the internship and my excitement - and stoke - kept building. Then, he said: "Detroit is a great news town."

I didn't catch it right away. I didn't understand why he was talking about Detroit - until he said: "You're going to love Detroit."

I was stunned for just a minute, but way too stoked about being selected for the internship to be in any way disappointed. My drive to Detroit in a 1974 Plymouth Valiant - and then my three months in DET ended up being a terrific experience that opened the pathway for a career with the AP. And I will forever be thankful to Jack Stokes for helping make it happen. Rest in power, Jack.

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Eric Quinones - I am very sad to hear about the passing of Jack Stokes. As so many others have noted, Jack was a wonderful guy. When I entered the intern class of 1994 in the Indy bureau, I was nervous and intimidated about joining the world's top news organization. Jack helped me acclimate in so many ways — by regularly checking in on my progress, offering encouragement and corny humor, and inspiring me with his enthusiasm and respect for the AP. When I couldn't figure out where I wanted to go after my internship, he provided patient guidance. Later, after I joined the Biz desk, I enjoyed running into Jack in the halls at 50 Rock and hearing the pride in his voice as he shared updates on the progress of other former interns. He always made me feel like I was one of his "kids," a label I was proud to carry. I'm disappointed in myself for falling out of touch with Jack. I wish I could thank him one more time for being so instrumental in making my time at the AP one of the most formative periods of my life. Rest in peace to a kind soul.

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Peggy Walsh - The world lost a kind, funny and truly decent man when Jack Stokes died.

My memories are working with him on diversity hiring at the end of my AP career when he was in Human Resources. He knew I was leaving, gave me excellent advice and celebrated our hiring successes with unabashed joy.

Condolences are often extended to family and friends. In Jack's case my condolences go to those who never knew him. They missed one of the best.

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Tony Winton - Wow, so sad to hear about Jack Stokes

Jack Stokes was the man who hired me at AP, like many, I suspect. I had applied to AP at the urging of the late Marlene Aig, the White Plains, N.Y. correspondent, who introduced me to wire world beyond the teletype machine that sometimes caught fire at WRKL-AM.

I took the test, waited…waited…and waited. Almost a full year later, I was on vacation in the town of Pitlochry, Scotland, and got a message from home that someone named Jack Stokes had called. I gathered as many coins as I could, found one of those classic British phone boxes, and returned the call.

I found out he had kept my resume on file and that he was offering me a vacation relief position at the Broadcast News Center. Could I be there in two weeks, he asked. I was stunned that anyone would do that. I mean, really, who keeps a job application for a year? Well, Jack Stokes did. And when I got there, he told me he’d remembered me and would have hired me earlier — if he could.

Interactions faded over the years, as he changed jobs and I headed from Washington to Miami, but whenever we did catch up, the conversation was warm and positive. Years later — think it was an AP party — I was attending as the president of the News Media Guild, and by happenstance was standing next to Jack and a senior AP executive. It might have been Tom Curley. The Guild was giving the company some grief over bargaining, and I was wearing a big union button, so the scene was a bit awkward and the executive was not exactly thrilled to see me.

I turned, referenced Jack and said, “this is the man who hired me into AP, so you can blame him.”

Jack didn’t miss a beat. He smiled broadly and said he’d made a good decision.

Rest In Peace, sir.

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Barbara Worth - One of Jack's many endearing qualities was his never-ending willingness to help the new kids on the block. When I was a struggling newbie on the broadcast wire desk in New York, he noticed that I'd stay after my shifts to review the changes editors had made in my copy. Completely unbidden, he'd sit with me, answer questions, give advice and offer encouragement. This picture was taken one evening in 1983 when Jack invited me to join him and our colleague Brad Krohn at a reception. I've long since forgotten who or what the reception was for, but I'll never forget how Jack made me feel so welcome in my early days at AP.

Lunch of good friends

Joining for lunch in Huntington, N.Y., on Monday were, from left: AP archivist Francesca Pitaro, her husband Ansell Horn, retired AP Photos director Hal Buell and Archives director Valerie Komor.

Bill Hancock retiring as head of College Football Playoff

Our colleague Bill Hancock was in the news Wednesday when he announced plans to retire as College Football Playoff executive director in February 2025 at the end of his contract. Click here for the AP story. His departure comes as the playoff prepares for its expansion to a 12-team format in the 2024 season.

In a note to friends, many of whom are AP sports journalists, Hancock wrote:

Today I notified the CFP board that I will step down at the end of my current contract, in 2025. Nicki and I feel real good about our decision. We chose to let the board know early, to allow plenty of time for a smooth transition to my successor.

I will remain as executive director through this year’s championship game in Houston, then I will transition (I don’t think that’s really a verb—but you won’t catch me going all contemporary on “impact” vs. “affect”) to assisting the new executive director.

Working with the basketball tournament for 16 years and now with postseason football for going-on 19 years has been a dream come true.

I’ve stood in front of the Pride of Oklahoma and the Golden Band from Tigerland, picnicked on the Rose Bowl field, rung the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, watched ball games with Tom Osborne and Condoleezza Rice, been aghast at the sign outside Madison Square Garden spelling “Oaklahoma,” communed with many of our finest journalists, and, best of all, shared top-level sports with our children and grandchildren.

I suppose it is natural to feel a little melancholy at leaving terrific colleagues here and around the country. But mostly, I’m content. The CFP is in good shape. And I’ll be here for this year’s four-team CFP and to help carry the ball into the new era. Nicki and I have been lucky, lucky, lucky.

Morning chuckle

Jim Limbach - My morning’s chuckle was provided by this Today in History item:

In 1954, the American Cancer Society presented a study to the American Medical Association meeting in San Francisco which found that men who regularly smoked cigarettes died at a considerably higher rate than non-smokers.

I always thought the rate was 100 percent no matter what you did.

Stories of interest

Moscow court rules US journalist Evan Gershkovich must stay in jail until late August (AP)

MOSCOW (AP) — A Moscow court on Thursday ruled that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in jail on espionage charges until at least late August, rejecting the American journalist’s appeal to be released.

The 31-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested in late March while on a reporting trip. A Moscow court ruled last month to keep him in custody until Aug. 30, but his lawyers had challenged the decision.

Gershkovich, wearing a black T-shirt and light blue jeans, looked tense and paced inside a glass defendant’s cage while waiting for the hearing to begin at the Moscow City Court. Then other journalists in the courtroom were asked to leave and the proceedings took place behind closed doors.

The ruling was broadcast to reporters, who watched it on two large TV screens in a separate room in the courthouse.

Read more here. Shared by Len Iwanski.

Today in History - June 22, 2023

By The Associated Press

Today is Thursday, June 22, the 173rd day of 2023. There are 192 days left in the year.

Today's highlight

On June 22, 1940, during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

On this date

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated for a second time as Emperor of the French.

In 1870, the United States Department of Justice was created.

In 1937, Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock in the eighth round of their fight in Chicago.

In 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive invasion of the Soviet Union.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the "GI Bill of Rights."

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1965, movie producer David O. Selznick ("Gone with the Wind") died in Los Angeles at age 63.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that lowered the minimum voting age to 18.

In 1977, John N. Mitchell became the first former U.S. Attorney General to go to prison as he began serving a sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up.

In 1981, Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to killing rock star John Lennon. Abolhassan Bani-Sadr was deposed as president of Iran.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, unanimously ruled that "hate crime" laws that banned cross burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

In 1999, in a major upset at Wimbledon, top-ranked Martina Hingis lost in the opening round to Jelena Dokic, a 16-year-old qualifier ranked 129th.

Ten years ago: Islamic militants disguised as policemen killed 10 foreign climbers and a Pakistani guide in a brazen overnight raid at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, saying it was to avenge the death of their deputy leader in a U.S. drone strike. A plane carrying a wing walker crashed at an air show near Dayton, Ohio, killing both the pilot, Charlie Schwenker, and the stunt performer, Jane Wicker.

Five years ago: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave a Virginia restaurant; the co-owner said the move came at the request of gay employees who objected to Sanders' defense of President Donald Trump's effort to bar transgender people from the military. Trump accused Democrats of telling "phony stories of sadness and grief" about children separated from their parents while crossing the border; he met with parents of children who'd been killed by immigrants in the country illegally. The European Union began enforcing tariffs on American imports including bourbon, peanut butter and orange juice, in retaliation for duties the Trump administration imposed on European steel and aluminum.

One year ago: A powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes and killing at least 1,000 people. A bloodhound named Trumpet won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, marking the first time the breed has ever snared U.S. dogdom's most coveted best in show prize. Tony Siragusa, the charismatic defensive tackle who helped lead a stout Baltimore defense to a Super Bowl title, died at age 55.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Prunella Scales (TV: "Fawlty Towers") is 91. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is 90. Singer-actor Kris Kristofferson is 87. Actor Klaus Maria Brandauer is 80. Fox News analyst Brit Hume is 80. Singer/producer Peter Asher (Peter and Gordon) is 79. Singer Howard "Eddie" Kaylan is 76. Singer-musician Todd Rundgren is 75. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is 74. Actor Meryl Streep is 74. Actor Lindsay Wagner is 74. Singer Alan Osmond is 74. Actor Graham Greene is 71. Pop singer Cyndi Lauper is 70. Actor Chris Lemmon is 69. Rock musician Derek Forbes is 67. Actor Tim Russ is 67. Rock musician Garry Beers (INXS) is 66. Actor-producer-writer Bruce Campbell is 65. Rock musician Alan Anton (Cowboy Junkies) is 64. Actor Tracy Pollan is 63. Environmental activist Erin Brockovich is 63. Rock singer-musician Jimmy Somerville is 62. Basketball Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler is 61. Actor Amy Brenneman is 59. Author Dan Brown is 59. Rock singer-musician Mike Edwards (Jesus Jones) is 59. Rock singer Steven Page is 53. Actor Michael Trucco is 53. Actor Mary Lynn Rajskub is 52. TV personality Carson Daly is 50. Rock musician Chris Traynor is 50. Actor Donald Faison is 49. Actor Alicia Goranson is 49. Actor-comedian Mike O'Brien (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 47. TV personality/actor Jai Rodriguez is 44. Americana singer-songwriter John Moreland is 38. Pop singer Dinah Jane (Fifth Harmony) (TV: "The X Factor") is 26.

Got a story or photos to share?

Connecting is a daily newsletter published Monday through Friday that reaches more than 1,800 retired and former Associated Press employees, present-day employees, and news industry and journalism school colleagues. It began in 2013. Past issues can be found by clicking Connecting Archive in the masthead. Its author, Paul Stevens, retired from the AP in 2009 after a 36-year career as a newsman in Albany and St. Louis, correspondent in Wichita, chief of bureau in Albuquerque, Indianapolis and Kansas City, and Midwest vice president based in Kansas City.

Got a story to share? A favorite memory of your AP days? Don't keep them to yourself. Share with your colleagues by sending to Ye Olde Connecting Editor. And don't forget to include photos!

Here are some suggestions:

- Connecting "selfies" - a word and photo self-profile of you and your career, and what you are doing today. Both for new members and those who have been with us a while.

- Second chapters - You finished a great career. Now tell us about your second (and third and fourth?) chapters of life.

- Spousal support - How your spouse helped in supporting your work during your AP career.

- My most unusual story - tell us about an unusual, off the wall story that you covered.

- "A silly mistake that you make"- a chance to 'fess up with a memorable mistake in your journalistic career.

- Multigenerational AP families - profiles of families whose service spanned two or more generations.

- Volunteering - benefit your colleagues by sharing volunteer stories - with ideas on such work they can do themselves.

- First job - How did you get your first job in journalism?

- Most unusual place a story assignment took you.

Paul Stevens

Editor, Connecting newsletter

paulstevens46@gmail.com