Marilyn Miller's story on Ted Walls

By Marilyn Miller 

Beacon Journal staff writer

LAKE TWP: Former Beacon Journal photographer Ted Walls was passionate about photography and used his skills in his missionary work even after he retired.

Mr. Walls, 82, of Lake Township, died Tuesday.

Ted Walls

He retired from the newspaper in 1992 after 35 years of service. He continued taking pictures — both stills and video.

He was active in missionary work at Open M in Akron and with his church, Uniontown United Methodist Church, helping with an orphanage in Russia. He and his wife, Nancy, made seven trips to the Kursk region of Russia, about 320 miles southwest of Moscow.

The orphanage, located outside the village of Belica, was home to children abandoned by society. The children had a variety of disabilities and medical conditions.

“I saw conditions I couldn’t believe,” Walls once told a Beacon Journal reporter about his visits. “They were kids who had been tossed aside.”

He said children were confined to beds that were falling apart and the air reeked of the stench of human waste.

Walls wondered how you could see something like that for two weeks and then live the rest of the year normally. He exposed their living conditions in a Beacon Journal article in 1999. Readers responded and donated more than $20,000 to help the orphanage.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Hecker Funeral Home in Uniontown. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Uniontown United Methodist Church.

Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.

To read Ted's original obituary in the BJ, click on http://bjretirees.blogspot.com/search?q=Photographer+Ted

Ted Schneider, former BJ photographer and line- drawer and by far the best Ann Hill letter-reader ever, has passed away.

That’s the word from Ken Krause, former BJ editor who lives in Medford, Massachussetts, who added:

“I had heard from Mike Herchek that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in November.”

Ted left the BJ in 2008 at the same time as reporter Charles Montague, aka Chasm, and photographer Lew Stamp. Ol’ Blue Walls lost 38, 38 and 37 years of experience, respectively.

Ted not only regaled Guild members with his Ann Hill skits, including one with Ted dressed as a nun, but he took a trip to California, tracked down Ann Hill and told her what a legend the Ohio State grad was at the BJ for her “I didn’t come here to write about shit” memo to managing editor Bob Giles.

Ann was given the Pat Englehart shock-troop treatment and sent to cover a Canton sewer meeting. Hence the appropriate terminology in her memo.

Ted tried to entice Ann to return to the annual BJ Christmas parties that featured a reading of the Ann Hill letter for three decades, and to read herself on the 25^th anniversary of the writing of the scathing memo, but she declined. So Ted did the gig in rap that time.

Last I heard, Ted’s daughter Tanya lives in Oregon, Renee in Wooster, Stacy in Florida and Ted III (the baby in Ted, Jr.’s arms with Jim Ricci) in Akron. 

The woman in the photos with Ted and the babies is his wife, Rose.

Obituary, calling hours for Ted Schneider

Calling hours for Ted Schneider will be 3-7 p.m. Friday, December 28 at the Donovan Funeral Home on Tallmadge Circle.

Ted Schneider

There will be a Celebration of Life open house at Ted and his widow Rose’s home at 505 Letchworth Drive in Akron at 1-5 p.m. Saturday, December 29.

Ted passed away Sunday, December 23.

Ted’s obituary:

Theodore “Ted” R. Schneider, Jr., 72, died December 23, 2018.

He leaves his ex-spouse, Sally, wife, Rose, his daughters, Tanya (Erik), Renee (Rick) and Stacy (David); his son, Theodore, III (Jessica); and extended family, Jeff (Lesley) and Lauren (Fred).  He leaves a combined number of grandchildren of 14.  He leaves his siblings, Beryl (Karen) and Cheryl (James) along with three nephews, five nieces, many cousins, and friends.  He was preceded in death by his daughter, Nicole.

Ted was born in Cleveland and was a lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio. He attended Brooklyn High School.  Upon graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he honed his skills as a photographer. After an honorable discharge, he pursued his passion as a photojournalist beginning with the United Press International, The Cleveland Press and finally with the Akron Beacon Journal. In addition to photographer, he held various design and page layout positions, retiring after 38 years of service.

Three of his favorite pastimes included Monday golf, Wednesday “poker nights” and tinkering with and driving his classic British MGBs.  He served as secretary of the Northeast Ohio MG Club and the Emerald Necklace MG Register.

Calling hours will be 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friday, December 28, 2018 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

A Celebration of Life open house will be held at Ted and Rose’s home on Saturday, December 29, 2018 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at 505 Letchworth Dr., Akron, OH  44303.

In lieu of flowers, family members suggest memorials be sent to the Cancer Research Institute National Headquarters, 29 Broadway, Floor 4, New York, NY 10006. www.cancerresearch.org

Photographer Ted Walls dies at 82

Theodore "Ted" Walls, 82, passed away at his home on June 11, 2013.

Born March 5, 1931 in Wilmington, Delaware to Lindsay and Naomi Walls, he was an area

resident most of his life. Ted, a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, was a Navy veteran, serving his country in the Korean Conflict. From the time Ted was a teenager he knew he wanted to be a "spot news photographer". He pursued his dreams and worked for the Akron Beacon Journal for 35 years. Ted's creativity was not only shown in his photographs but also in his fine woodworking, landscaping, and in his passion for missions work which he displayed both locally, at Open M in Akron, and during his seven trips to Russia. He was a member of Uniontown United Methodist Church.

Preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Ann; infant brother, Charles; brother, Robert; and son-in-law Dennis Squire; he is survived by his loving family, wife of 52 years, Nancy; children, Sharlene (Malcolm) Brotman, Teresa Squire, Bob (Andre'), Bill (Brenda), and Tom (Lois); brother, Edward (Elaine); sisters, Helen Carnell, Joyce Ann Walls, and Dorothy (Tom) Ferrell; brother-in-law, Dan Boger; seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and many other dear relatives and friends.

Visitation Thursday, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hecker Funeral Home in Uniontown. Funeral services will be held Friday, 11 a.m. at the Uniontown United Methodist Church with Rev. James P. Nolte officiating. Burial at Uniontown Greenlawn Cemetery where veterans services will be conducted by American Legion Post 44. Memorials may be made in his name to Open M, 941 Princeton St., Akron, OH 44311, or Uniontown United Methodist Church, 13370 Cleveland Ave. NW, Uniontown, Oh. 44685.

Hecker, 330 699-2600
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, page B5, col.5]

Ted Schneider aka Ann Hill & Tom Moore

BJ reunion re-stokes the legend of Ann Hill

BJ newsroom retiree Tom Moore, who’s a conductor on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad when he isn’t spending his autumns in Fort Myers, Florida helping former BJ sports editor Tom Giffen run the Roy Hobbs Baseball World Series for old guys who can’t give up the game, had a BJ reunion on the tracks.

Ted Schneider, former BJ photographer and line drawer, popped onto the train.

Tom said they had a good conversation about their fun days at the BJ.

Ted’s main claim to fame was looking up Ann Hill, the famous BJ job applicant who left in disgust because “I didn’t come here to do shit work,” in California and telling her about how she had become a legend in BJ lore.

He tried to entice Ann to return to the annual BJ Christmas parties that featured a reading of the Ann Hill letter for three decades, and read it herself on the 25^th anniversary of the writing of the scathing memo, but she declined.

Ted has done the Ann Hill letter in nun habit and in rap style and is the most memorable Ann Hill letter performer.

Ann Hill was an Ohio State University magna cum laude graduate with a masters in journalism/PR who came to the Beacon for a one-day tryout. 

After wading through enough work to bog down Woodward and Bernstein, the last straw was being sent to cover a Canton sewers meeting.

The only thing Ann wrote was her memo to Managing Editor Bob Giles complaining of the Army-like discipline and "shitwork" and reminding B.G. that she was a superstar at OSU.

And thus the legend began.

Ann's biography says that she was a feature writer and investigative reporter with the Dayton Daily News and other daily newspapers and founded her first marketing and public relations agency, Hill & Zoog, in Columbus in 1978, primarily as a political consultant for Ohio politicians.

Ann went to California and started the Ann Hill Communications company in 1985 in San Rafael. She is the principal owner.

As he has for years, after the readings of the Ann Hill letter former State Desk assistant editor John Olesky stands up in reference to the Canton sewers assignment and exclaimed: "Englehart made me do it!"

That would be another legend, the late Patrick T. Englehart of Mogadore, who was State Desk Editor when Ann Hill strolled into and stormed out of the Beacon Journal.

Maybe what made Ann – and Ted in his skits while reading her letter – strike such a chord is that we all wished we had done that.

Ted’s daughter Tanya lives in Oregon, Renee in Wooster, Stacy in Florida and Ted III in Akron. Rose, Erik, Rick, Jess O. Dore, David and Stacy fit into the family fabric, too.

Paul Tople at photographer Ron Kuner's retirement

Photographer Paul Tople, Kent State grad involved in three BJ Pulitzers, passed away today after a brief stay at Cleveland Clinic’s Akron General Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center on Ridgewood Road in Akron.

His widow is Sally Tople.

The three Pulitzers were for Kent State, Goodyear and Question of Color. Paul won so many Cleveland Press Club first places that they should have named the award after him.

Paul’s BJ friends have tales that highlight his qualities:

Bob Springer recalls Paul’s reassuring presence during news events:

“The day Jeffrey Dahmer was murdered in prison in Wisconsin, Paul and I ran out to Medina Line Road to see if Dahmer's father was home. He and Dahmer's stepmother were both home. It was an emotionally awkward interview. 

"I am so glad to this day that Paul was with me. His compassion, gentleness and demeanor really drew out the best of the Dahmers in a difficult circumstance. Thank you, Paul."

James Carney reveals Paul’s sensitivity:

“So one day we had a big snowstorm and school was cancelled. Paul and I went out looking for a story. At Big Bend skating pond we found it. An older gentleman was skating figure 8s alone on the frozen pond. Just him and the pond and us watching. 

"Turned into a great little sense of place story with a beautiful Tople portrait of the man skating.”

Susan Gippin remembers Paul’s personal touch:

“I don't remember going on assignment with Paul often. But I do remember when I was ginormous with child in 1989, Paul knew I wanted a photo to show my daughter when she grew up.

“One day, he took me back into the inner sanctum of the BJ photo studio and shot a few frames.

“A few days later, he showed up at my desk with a perfectly composed black and white photo of me in maternitywear sitting crosslegged on the floor -- giant belly and all.

“I still have that photo. And fond memories of sweet, thoughtful Paul."

Mike Cardew, later a BJ photographer, recalls being welcomed to the club by a giant of a man:

“Paul was the first photographer from the Beacon Journal I met. It was Easter and I was finishing up as the intern for The Cincinnati Enquirer. We were at Lucasville covering the riots.”

Paul’s first wife, Terri Kyttler Tople, passed away in 2008 after battling systemic lupus for decades. They had been married for 36 years. She taught learning disabled children in Akron public schools for 18 years.

Paul later married Sally, previously Ted Schneider’s wife.

Paul’s son, Mike, is married to Jamie Tople. Paul’s other son, Ed, is married to Jenny.

Paul took the BJ photo of photographer John Filo and Mary Vecchio, subject of the 1970 Kent State/National Guard shootings that brought Filo a Pulitzer, at their 2009 May 4 reunion on the Kent State campus.

Norton High graduate Paul was a senior at Kent State in 1970. He was working part-time for the Beacon Journal and was associate editor of the Chestnut Burr, the Kent State yearbook. The BJ used his photos of the shootings on May 4. In 1977 he was promoted to BJ assistant chief photographer under Bill Hunter.

Paul was on the Stater staff with Stu Feldstein, Terry Oblander, Chuck Ayers, Rich Zitrin and copy editor Paula Stone Tucker. All of them wound up working at Ol’ Blue Walls. 

Ken Krause, former BJ sports editor who lives in Medford, Massachussetts, forwarded these Tower Topics articles that further illuminate Paul's remarkable personality:

CHARLES SMITH MONTAGUE -- CHASM -- PASSES AWAY

 

Chasm – Charles Smith Montague – who was at the BJ for more than 40 years, passed away May 7.

Chasm was one of my favorite people at the BJ and there was a LOT of competition for that honor because the BJ newsroom had astounding talent and personalities.

Chasm knew how to enjoy life. More people should try it.

The Steubenville native married Rebecca Orosz. They had two sons, Jonathan and Joshua Montague, who with wife Amanda makes delightful chocolates at Lilly Handmade Chocolates in Cleveland owned by Amanda. One of their customers was Kelly Clarkson of American Idol fame.

Chasm retired from the BJ in 2008 in the same week that photographer/page designer Ted Schneider and photographer Lew Stamp did. Now Chasm and Ted are reunited in the afterlife.

Chasm was big in helping stage the famous Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race from Anchorage to Nome in Alaska.

Chasm visited 1970s BJ State Desk reporter Cathy Strong in Wellington, New Zealand, where Cathy is renown world-wide for her Massey University faculty work. Former BJ photographer Don Roese and I also visited Cathy, back to back, one year. So did Fran Murphey, BJ’s extraordinary columnist who made common folks famous.

 

When I contributed to the BJ Layoff Auction, Chasm gave me three lights from the BJ tower which I treasure and keep in my den for daily viewing.

 

One of his sons, Josh, wrote his obituary which will appear in Thursday’s BJ. I can’t add much to it. Chasm would be proud of Josh’s writing:

 

Charles "Chuck" Smith Montague, a renowned journalist, loving father, and doting grandfather, passed away on May 7, 2023.

 

Born in Steubenville, Ohio, in the 1940s, Chuck devoted his life to his family, his fervor for journalism, and his enthusiasm for sports.

 

An academic scholar, Chuck spent a summer interning in Munich, Germany, before graduating from the esteemed Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in 1969.

 

He launched his illustrious journalism career in Elyria, Ohio, before joining the Akron Beacon Journal in the early 1970s. Chuck's journalistic accomplishments at the Akron Beacon Journal spanned over four decades, during which he served as a reporter, editor, and headline writer.

 

While at the Akron Beacon Journal, Chuck was part of the courageous newsroom team covering the tragic Kent State protest and shootings in 1970. Their efforts were recognized with the prestigious 1971 Pulitzer Prize for General Local Reporting.

 

Alongside his professional accomplishments, Chuck passionately advocated for the fair treatment of Akron Newspaper Guild members, actively participating in labor contract negotiations during the 1970s and 1980s.

 

A man of many talents, Chuck also excelled as a pitcher for the Beacon Journal Bombers Men's Softball team.

 

After graduating from Ohio University, Chuck married Rebecca Orosz. Together, they raised two sons, Jonathan and Joshua Montague, instilling a passion for sports and a deep appreciation for education. Both sons, Montessori, Cuyahoga Falls, and Hudson School alums, pursued successful careers and established their own families.

 

Later in life, Chuck became an Ohio Soccer Association referee, achieving the remarkable feat of refereeing soccer games in all 50 US states. His zest for travel persisted into retirement, leading him on eco-tourism adventures to places like Baja California, the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, and Alaska.

 

Chuck's warmth, wit, and commitment to his craft left an indelible mark on his family, friends, and colleagues, who will cherish his memory. His sons Jon and Josh (Amanda), grandsons Charlie and Gibson, and a vast community inspired by his kindness, intelligence, and generosity will carry forward his legacy.

Ted Walls: Then & Now in woodworking

Retired BJ photographer Ted Walls who was featured in an article printed in the January /.February 1982 Tower Topics is still busy with woodworkiing. The article included these black and white photos of a rolltop desk and a grandfather clock.

Asked to provide an update if he was still interested in woodworking, Walls provided three new color photos of projects for his home.

Click on the headline to see the update and the original Tower Topics article by Vonda Reckner.

Walls is great-grandpa again

Retired BJ photographer Ted Walls has become a great-grandfather for the fourth time. Here he is with Kelab Gottschick, born December 29, 2005, the son of Kim and Kyle Gottschick. Kim is Ted’s granddaughter.

Last of JSK crew gone?

Editorial page columnist Steve Hoffman left the BJ today, joining former managing editor Doug Oplinger and preceding photographer/line drawer/marathon bicylist Denny Gordon by a week.

Others taking Ol’ Blue Walls’ buyout offers are reporter Marilyn Miller, photographer Michael Chritton and copy editor Susan Gapinski Price, married to editor/nostalgia writer Mark J. Price.

According to my math from the online BJ newsroom list, that will leave 57, from Editor Bruce Winges to the message clerk. There was closer to 250 during my time at the BJ.

I’m wracking my brain trying to think of anyone left who was there when John S. Knight was running the show, after his yearly return from Miami by way of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville the first Saturday in April. Chaffeur Gene Cecchi drove the car to Akron. JSK flew to Louisville and Akron each year.

The best newspaper owner I ever worked for – and there were seven in my 43-year career – passed away June 16, 1981. So there would have to be someone at the BJ in his/her 36^th year at Ol’ Blue Walls to have seen JSK walk into his corner office on 44 E. Exchange Street.

Current Editor Bruce Winges started in 1983, two years after Mr. Knight passed away.

By the way, John Knight and I had something in common: We both were born in West Virginia.

I was born in Monongah, 3 miles from Fairmont and 25 miles from Morgantown. JSK was born October 26, 1894 in Bluefield, on the southern border of my native state. He could see Virginia from his crib.

Doug had been there 45 years, so he shared the same air as JSK. So did I since I arrived in 1969 and retired in 1996, dyslexic numbers if you only count the last two numbers of each year.

Arguably the best columnist in BJ history, Bob Dyer, didn’t leave the Wooster Daily Record to join the Beacon till 1984, after JSK passed on.

Editorial page editor Michael Douglas joined the BJ about a year after Bruce.

Thanks to Advertising Makeup retiree Mike Williams who has the 1982 BJ employee roster:

John Knight was editor emeritus and Elizabeth Sammeth was his secretary. After JSK’s passing, she shared secretarial duties for vice president/editor Paul Poorman with Helen Coy.

I was on the board of the Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Baseball Association for a decade with Helen’s brother, Al Coy.

Jim Gels was vice president/general manager. Maxine Revay was his secretary.

Bill Schlemmer was assistant to the general manager.

In the Art Department were chief artist Bud Morris, Dennis Earlenbaugh, Dennis Haas, Art Krummel and Walt Neal.

In the Photo Department were chief photographer Bill Hunter, Paul Tople, Ott Gangl, Denny Gordon (soon to be the final JSK retiree), Ron Kuner, Marcia Nighswander, Don Roese, Lew Stamp, Bill Wade and Ted Walls.

In the Business News Department were business editor Jim Toms, Bob Henretty and the recently retired managing editor Doug Oplinger.

On the Copy Desk were Larry Froelich, Roger Mezger, Dick McLinden, Carol Camp, Art Cullison, George Davis (who may still be doing part-time stories; I’m not sure), Don Fermoyle, Donn Gaynor, Don Hawk, Tim Hayes, Barb Lumpkins, Mickey Porter and Gene Winski.

In the Sports Department were executive sports editor Stuart Warner, sports editor Tom Melody, Paul Bailey, Jim Derendal, Tim Farkas, Barry Forbis, Kevin Huhn, Ken Krause, Mike Naragon, Bob Nold, Sheldon Ocker, Larry Pantages, Jack Patterson, John Seaburn, Dick Shippy, Dan Thom, Ray Yanucci and Milan Zban.

In the Reference Library were chief librarian Cathy Tierney, assistant librarian Vick Victoria, Francis Crago, Marge Davis, Paul Gna, Diane Lynch, Tanya Parnell and Dick Vidergar.

In the Features Department were assistant managing editor Jim Nolan, Features Editor Ann Mezger, Sandy Levenson, secretary Rosemary Rountree, Beacon Mag editor Bill Bierman, secretary Lillian Petraitis, Action Line chief Craig Wilson, David Bianculli, Connie Bloom, Jewell Cardwell, Bob Downing, Mark Faris, Daphne Ginnings, Betsy Lammerding, Russ Musara, Char Nevada, Bill O’Connor, yours truly John Olesky as the TV Editor, Polly Paffilas, Joan Rice, Don Rosenberg, Ted Schneider, Jane Snow, Bill Snyder and Jabe Tarter.

In the Columbus bureau were chief Mike Cull, Suzanna Gussler and Bill Hershey.

The news editors were Al Fitzpatrick, secretary Janice Reschke, executive editor Dale Allen, secretary Cindy Irby, Dave Boerner, Bill Winter, Bob Jodon, Harry Liggett (founder of the BJ Alums blog) and Tom Moore.

The Editorial writers were Dave Cooper, Ron Clark, cartoonist Chuck Ayers, Helen Carringer, Ken Cole, IQ supreme Hal Fry and Sol Schwartz.

In National News were Colleen Murphy (later Tigelman), Ron Shinn and Debby Stock.

On the Metro Desk were top honchos Tim Smith and Abe Zaidan, Keith McKnight, John Dunphy, Kathy Fraze, Webb Shaw, clerk Sue Reynolds, Don Bandy, Bill Canterbury, Jim Carney, Karen Chuparkoff, Jim Dettling, Leon Dobbs, Pat Engelhart, Marilyn Geewa, Pete Geiger, Dick Henson, Steve Hoffman, Bob Hoiles, Ida James, John Kostrzewa, Chuck Lally, Marilyn Mastroianni, Chuck Montague, Barb Mudrak, Frances Murphey, Dick McBane, Dennis McEaneney, Ken Nichols, Pat Norman, Terry Oblander, Diane Paparone, Bob Paynter, Nancy Peacock, Pete Phipps, Mary Grace Poidomani, Roland Queen, Rick Reiff, Tom Ryan, Dave Scott and Brian Usher.

If my math is right, there were 159 in the newsroom in 1981 (more before I retired in 1996).

I went through the entire list of newsroom and Composing employees. I did not see the name of anyone still at the BJ. If I’m wrong, email me at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com with the name of someone still at the BJ who was there before June 1981.

After reading this article, former BJ columnist Steve Love wrote:

Hey John,

 

Thanks for the Last of JSK Crew list and the 1981 roster. I can't think of other JSK people remaining but did notice a couple of us  who joined the BJ in 1981 left off the roster—Ed Meyer, Browns writer, and myself, then the Metro columnist.

 

I arrived a couple of weeks after Jack Knight's death, coming from another Knight-Ridder newspaper, the Wichita Eagle [there was the afternoon Beacon in those days, too] and having worked for the Miami Herald in the days of JSK winter sojourns to that clime and newsroom.

 

Ed came from Florida, too, where he covered the Tampa Bay Bucs for the Clearwater newspaper.

So much change.

 

Hope you are both well and the same. Some things should not change. 

 

Steve

Mike Williams provided some insight into JSK’s chauffer, Gene Cecchi:

Hi John,

Every once in a while I think of Gene Cecchi, John Knight's long-time chauffeur, but usually at the time can't remember his last name.  So just now I went to Google search to find it.  Only one link on my first screen referred to Gene, an article written by Clark Hoyt in 2002 on Stanford University's JSK scholarship program page.  I thought it was worth sharing for its insights into the JSK legend.

Gene often came downstairs to John Grimm's office to hang out while JSK conducted business on the third floor.  He always had a Racing Form with him, and I suspect one of his undocumented duties was to identify romising horseflesh for his boss. 

 

I don't remember if Gene was a smoker, but John's office, to my dismay, was one of the last holdouts in the building against the No Smoking campaign.

-- mike

 

 

 

ANN HILL LETTER, THE LEGEND THAT WILL NEVER DIE!

 

Bob Dyer, who won Ohio Columnist of the Year Award so many times they should have just named it for him, posted it best:

“A true holiday classic. It's a Wonderful Life ... Miracle on 34th Street ... the Ann Hill Letter. “

 

Thus began a legend among BJ folks, including annual readings of the Ohio State graduate’s letter to Managing Editor Bob Giles, best done by the late Ted Schneider, once while wearing a nun outfit! The Ann Hill letter once was read by Rhebbekah Yoder, 10, step-niece of the newsroom's Paula Schleis, who did an expressive reading of the outraged Ann Hill.

In the audience of two dozen or so, fittingingly, was Ted Schneider, who has done the Ann Hill letter in nun habit and in rap style and who is the most memorable Ann Hill letter performer. Ted passed away in 2018 but his legendary readings of the Ann Hill Letter will never die.

 

Ann came to the BJ to try out for a job. Giles turned her over to State Desk Editor Pat Englehart, who turned her over to me. I assigned her to cover a Canton sewers meeting. A meeting about shit covered by someone who took not shit. What could possibly go wrong?

 

This from the Ann Hill letter pretty well sums up her attitude:

 

“Experienced people who now teach at OSU thought me the most talented student they ever taught.”

Also, this is a close second:

“I didn’t come here to do shit work.”

Roger Mezger, who resurrected the letter again and probably has it wrapped so that only Ann Hill’s fingerprints are on it to increase its market value, posted:

“I realize the number of alums who even remember the infamous Ann Hill Letter, much less care about it, is steadily shrinking. But for those who do remember or care (and also just for the record), I think I have identified the date it was written.

 

“Ann Hill, whose actual first name is Ougrita, received her M.A. from Ohio State at winter quarter commencement on Friday, March 19, 1971. We know that when she came to the Beacon Journal for a one-day tryout, she was sent to cover a Canton city council meeting where a big sewer project was discussed. There was such a meeting on Wednesday, March 24 that was reported the next day in the (afternoon) Beacon Journal in a story with no byline, which might indicate that the rewrite desk had to put that story together on the morning of the 25th.

 

“Ann was so upset at being jerked around by the State Desk that she never turned in the story she was sent to cover. Instead, she came back to the office, apparently on the evening of March 24, 1971, and typed up her j'accuse letter for "Mr. Giles and Company."

 

My reply throughout the years:

“John Olesky

Englehart made me do it! Forced me to send her to cover Canton sewer meeting. She refused to handle that shit and fled to California.”

 

Roger corrected my memory after the infamous and famous letter:

 

“John Olesky Looks like she worked in Columbus until the late ‘70s, eventually starting an advertising company, before heading for the coast.”

 

Roger added:

 

“Ann was quite full of herself back then, which I guess is another way of saying she was just young.

 

“I actually had a class with her at OSU in the summer of 1970, reporting public affairs. It was one of those grad-level classes that was open to undergrads, so I took it.

 

“Ann is the only person I remember from that class (other than the prof, the estimable Martha Brian) because of her very aggressive questioning of a social services provider during a field trip we took to the poorest part of Columbus. Ann was from small-town Tennessee and seemed to believe that people didn’t really need help from agencies like the one we visited, and she let our host know it. That was pretty awkward and it stuck in my head.”

 

For those who never saw the letter before and never witnessed the annual Reading of the Ann Hill Letter, I have provided the literary classic that will live through the ages.

 

The late Ted Schneider, photographer and page layout expert in his days at the BJ, once visited Ann in California and reportedly had an exhilirating time with Ann. Make of that what you will.

He tried to entice Ann to return to the annual BJ Christmas parties that featured a reading of the Ann Hill letter for three decades, and read it herself on the 25^th anniversary of the writing of the scathing memo, but she declined.

 

Ann's biography says that she was a feature writer and investigative reporter with the Dayton Daily News and other daily newspapers and founded her first marketing and public relations agency, Hill & Zoog, in Columbus in 1978, primarily as a political consultant for Ohio politicians.

Ann went to California and started the Ann Hill Communications company in 1985 in San Rafael. 

 

Maybe what made Ann – and Ted in his skits while reading her letter – strike such a chord is that we all wished we had done that.

 

She will be remembered forever in BJ lore as the woman who made a mountain out of an anthill.

Later, I found this item about Ann Hill:

 

Ann Hill

Principal and CEO at Hill Zoog

San Rafael, California, United States

Ann Hill, CEO of Hill Zoog, has over three decades of experience in marketing, advertising, public relations and social media. As principal of Hill Zoog, Hill leads HZ’s efforts in the creation and implementation of award-winning marketing, public relations and social media campaigns. Hill works nationally and internationally for a range of clients, including those in technology, luxury retail, health care, design and construction, education and many other sectors.

Hill graduated magna cum laude from Ohio State University with a Masters Degree in Journalism and taught journalism at Franklin University. She developed her award-winning writing style as a feature writer and investigative reporter with various newspapers in the South and Midwest. After her journalism career, Hill worked for the Ohio AFL-CIO and served as an aide in the Ohio Senate.

Hill opened her first advertising agency in 1978 in Columbus, Ohio managing many statewide and local political campaigns, and running statewide initiatives. Hill’s company represented the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, the Huntington Bank and the Lazarus Department stores in several initiatives, including the development of a major interstate.

After relocating to California, she continued her work in advertising and marketing. Among her many successful PR campaigns are projects for the renovation of the SF Opera, the historic renovation of SF City Hall, and various initiatives on behalf of UC Berkeley Extension, The Marin Symphony’s Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead Benefit, and DUX Beds. Hill also developed public relations campaigns for the clothing and accessory line Loudmouth, as well as for a number of leading general contracting and electrical contracting companies.

Within the technology industry, Hill has spearheaded the campaign to introduce the Korus wireless speaker into the consumer electronics market for Core Brands, a division of Nortek. She also works frequently with technology system integrators.

Experience

 

·        

CEO

Ann Hill Communication

1990 - 200515 years

Education

·         East Tennessee State University

East Tennessee State University

BSEnglish

1973 - 1978

·         The Ohio State University

The Ohio State University

MAJournalism

Groups

·         Marketing Communication

Marketing Communication

-

·         Mattress Industry Executives

Mattress Industry Executives

-

·         Engineering News-Record

Engineering News-Record

-

·         Ohio State PRSSA

Ohio State PRSSA

-

·         Online Reputation Management (ORM)

Online Reputation Management (ORM)

-

·         Ohio State J-School and C-School Alumni

Ohio State J-School and C-School Alumni

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Bo Gustafsson

“Ann Hill is an amazing resourse, only "Can Do" attitude. Reasonable pricing, don't nickel and dime you.”