[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E744-E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING TUTT S. BRADFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2012

  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor one of 
the most well-known and selfless men in my District.
  Tutt S. Bradford passed away recently at the age of 94 following a 
long life of community service and philanthropy. I knew him as a

[[Page E745]]

good family man, but he was also a long time friend of my father.
  He is perhaps best known as the former owner of The Daily Times 
newspaper in Maryville, Tennessee, a scenic community in my District 
located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
  The Daily Times had a circulation of only 7,500 when Tutt took it 
over in 1955; by the time he sold it in 1989, circulation had grown to 
22,000. A close friend of Tutt, Sam Kennedy, told The Daily Times on 
the news of his passing that, ``He had the ability to understand what 
his people wanted. He knew how to produce a local, small daily 
newspaper that contained news that people were interested in.''
  He transformed the paper into the pride of Blount County, and it 
still operates today as a model newspaper, frequently being ranked 
among the top three newspapers in the Nation in penetration of its 
circulation area. It has also been recognized as the fastest growing 
daily newspaper in Tennessee.
  When Tutt sold The Daily Times, he devoted the rest of his life to 
philanthropy. His support of educational institutions, charities, and 
various causes is too great to list in this space, but Blount County 
and this Nation are better places because of his life and work.
  When trying to decide whether to support a cause, Tutt would simply 
ask one question: Will it help the community grow? He undoubtedly 
touched the lives of thousands of people in my District in many 
positive ways.
  I offer my condolences to his two daughters, Nancy and Debbie; step 
daughter, Frances; five grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; sister, 
Dot; and brother, Randolph.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues and other readers of 
the Record to join me in celebrating the remarkable life of Tutt S. 
Bradford.
  I can think of no more fitting tribute to Tutt than to request The 
Daily Times article highlighting his life and accomplishments be 
reprinted into the Record below.

      Tutt Bradford, Newspaper Owner, Community Leader, Dies at 94

                          (From staff reports)

       Tutt S. Bradford, publisher/owner of The Daily Times for 34 
     years and a tireless community leader and philanthropist, 
     died at Shannondale of Maryville Friday afternoon. He was 94.
       Bradford became the fifth owner of The Daily Times in 
     November 1955, and served as publisher until 1984. He 
     continued as chairman of the board until the paper was sold 
     in 1989.
       Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced 
     later by McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home.
       Gregg Jones, president and CEO of Jones Media, parent 
     company of The Daily Times, said, ``Blount County has lost a 
     wonderful citizen, and my family and the staff of The Daily 
     Times have lost a dear friend. Few have worked harder for the 
     progress of this community than Tuft Bradford. He was never 
     bashful about volunteering his time, leadership and personal 
     financial resources to help Blount County address its 
     challenges and fight for its opportunities. We all are better 
     off because of Tutt's passionate love for his home. To his 
     family we offer our deepest condolences for his loss as well 
     as our heartfelt gratitude for having been blessed to have 
     crossed his path.''


                           Successful career

       Bradford was born in Columbia, S.C., the second of five 
     children. His first venture into print media began when he 
     had a paper route as a child in the 1920s.
       After his military service during World War II, Bradford 
     moved into newspaper advertising. His successes led to his 
     promotion to publisher of a newspaper in Cleveland, Tenn., 
     then later as publisher of a Bristol newspaper.
       In a 2008 interview with Daily Times reporter Linda Braden 
     Albert, Bradford said, ``When (the Southern Newspapers Group) 
     bought the paper in Bristol, it was just barely breaking 
     even. In five years, I made $5 million. So the president of 
     the company called me and said, `Tutt, what would you like to 
     do next?' I said, `What do you mean?' He said, `Well, 
     wouldn't you like to own a paper?' ''
       Bradford replied that he would if he had the money, and he 
     was offered the opportunity to purchase The Daily Times with 
     financing from the Southern Newspapers Group.
       When Bradford--who served as owner, publisher and 
     occasionally, editor--bought The Times in 1955, circulation 
     was 7,500.
       He involved his daughters Nancy Cain and Debbie Bradford 
     Moon in the publication. Jerome F. Moon, a native Blount 
     countian and husband of Debbie Bradford, became president and 
     publisher in 1984.
       When Bradford sold the newspaper to the Persis Group of 
     Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1989, circulation had increased to 
     22,000.
       In the 2008 interview, Bradford said one of the highlights 
     of his career at The Daily Times was bringing a new press to 
     the company. A repairman working on the old press told him 
     about a three-color unit that would do all the colors in one 
     unit.
       ``Every time we did a color we had to clean off everything, 
     rollers and everything, and put the right ink on them,'' 
     Bradford said. ``This way, they were put all in one unit like 
     we have there now. It was really great.'' Bradford put in his 
     order for one of the units and he said The Daily Times was 
     one of the first newspapers in the country to get a press 
     where the colors were ``left in there.''
       ``I knew him quite well,'' said Sam Kennedy, former owner 
     of the Kennedy Newspapers and Columbia Dispatch. ``He took 
     the Maryville paper and literally outdid the Knoxville 
     papers.
       ``He had the ability to understand what his people 
     wanted,'' Kennedy added. ``He knew how to produce a local, 
     small daily newspaper that contained news that people were 
     interested in.''


                             Community icon

       During his newspaper career and long after he retired, 
     Bradford remained very active as a community leader and 
     benefactor.
       ``Will it help the community grow?'' Bradford asked himself 
     when he needed to decide what causes he would support.
       One such project dear to his heart is the Hearing and 
     Speech Foundation, cofounded by Bradford and John Berry, 
     owner of Blount Hearing and Speech Services, to provide such 
     services for people who could not otherwise afford them.
       ``The reason I started the foundation was that my ears were 
     blasted out during World War II,'' Bradford said in the 2008 
     interview. He sought treatment at many places for his hearing 
     loss but none helped him until he met Berry. In 2003, 
     Bradford was honored for his continuing support of the 
     foundation.
       According to long-time Daily Times Editor Dean Stone, 
     Bradford also worked for funding for the still-uncompleted 
     Foothills Parkway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 
     First it was to get the state to purchase the right-of-way 
     for federal construction. Later it was for federal 
     construction money.
       Bradford also worked successfully to get Cades Cove placed 
     into a historical district in the Smokies' master plan in 
     order to preserve some of the structures and its open nature, 
     protecting the Cove as we know it for the enjoyment of 
     millions annually.


                          Because of religion

       Bradford also served on the boards of many organizations. A 
     few of the beneficiaries were Maryville College, Blount 
     County Chamber of Commerce, Blount County Industrial 
     Development Board, United Way of Blount County, Pellissippi 
     State Community College and the Blount County Public Library.
       In 1991, he was named Outstanding Philanthropist of the 
     Year by the National Society of Fundraising Executives.
       ``It's because of my religion,'' he said. ``The Lord said 
     to love other people, and I have. I've really tried to help 
     other people, particularly when they were down.''

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