John MacLeod Williams, who led PR Newswire through tremendous sales growth in the 1990s and successfully extended the paid press release business model into China in recent years, died suddenly Tuesday in Chicago. He was 66.
John, an avid boxer and exercise buff, had been working out when he collapsed, said his wife, Donna Manke Williams, who on Thanksgiving had not yet finalized funeral arrangements. He and Donna lived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and also owned a home in Granville, Vermont.
Facebook tributes to John from current and past PR Newswire employees poured in this morning within minutes of a posting about his death. Many highlighted his inspirational leadership style and outsize personality.
“He was an Alpha Male for sure. He took a bite out of life and let the juices run down his chin. I’m sure he packed more living in those 66 years than most do in a hundred,” wrote Jeff McHugh, a software engineer who worked in PRN’s Philadelphia bureau.
John joined PR Newswire in 1986 from Business Wire, where he helped establish a New York office for the rapidly growing San Francisco-based company. At PR Newswire, which had pioneered the commercial press release distribution industry in 1954, John set about creating a culture of sales, service and product innovation.
He emphasized media relations, understanding that unless reporters and editors used the content they received from PR Newswire, sales would founder. Dorthea Brooks, a legendary business editor for United Press International, was recruited. John also hired former Unipressers Jerry Mitchell, Tom Madden, Fred Ferguson, Neil Hershberg and me.
From 1989 to 2008, John was a constant source of inspiration — and occasional irritation — as he continually questioned the status quo, demanded better performance from the finance and technology departments at PRN, and took jabs at British parent company United Business Media their laser focus on profits over investing for long-term success.
In addition to accelerating PRN’s growth through broadcast fax and fax-on-demand products, John added theatrical touches that at times proved hilarious.
At a sales conference in the early 1990s, he donned a Fruit of the Loom grape costume. At another, he tried to recruit Mr. T to promote the launch of an early Internet “T Button” that allowed interactivity on press releases. During the inaugural PRN “President’s Club,” John chartered deep-sea fishing boats and arranged for a private helicopter tour for the elderly father of one sales exec.
In 2002 John volunteered to expand the commercial newswire business model to China, where a relationship with Xinhua News Agency gave credibility to PRN and allowed it to thrive. During one of my last business trips with John, he bore wounds familiar to many Beijing locals — injuries suffered in a bicycle crash. He kept his bike in the kitchen of his apartment.
Fitness was at the center of Williams’s life since he stopped drinking in 1989. A fixture at a swimming pool near PR Newswire’s former headquarters near Times Square, Williams also boxed. It was not uncommon for a young, fit PR Newswire employee to arrive in the office with a broken nose or a black eye, trophies of a boxing session with the boss. When we discussed partnering with AudioNet, the event streaming business started by Mark Cuban in 1995, the deal was sealed when John hopped into the ring with Cuban’s female biz dev executive, Julie Smith.
Outside the ring, John took delight sharing his fortunes with others. When he built a home in rural Vermont, he invited PR Newswire employees for camping weekends, drawing into the woods some nervous visitors who had never before left the five boroughs. In a very private case of philanthropy, John met a quadriplegic man in the same rehabilitation facility treating his father. John donated a computer equipped with a head visor that allowed his new friend — a former author and academic – to move the cursor with puffs of breath, freeing him to communicate via email.
Born near Buffalo, in Dunkirk, N.Y., John M. Williams grew up in the newspaper business. His great grandfather founded the local daily, The Observer, in 1882, where John’s father MacLeod was editor. John earned a degree at Syracuse University, enlisted in the Air Force and served two tours in Vietnam.
His career at UPI involved assignments in New York and Los Angeles, where he covered the murder trial of Charles Manson. He never stopped playing copy editor at PRN, alerting staffers to grammar and spelling mistakes and insisting on prose that would impress our two key audiences — PR professionals and journalists.
In addition to his wife, John is survived by two sisters, Julia MacLeod Williams of Richmond and Sarah Williams McCrane of Poquoson, Va.
John meant a great deal to me and hundreds of people who worked with him through 30+ years in the newswire business. Rest in peace, John.
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From the Cartmell Funeral Home (link)
The funeral service for John Williams will take place on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the Cartmell Funeral Home, 150 Court St., Plymouth. Friends and relatives are welcome to the visitation at Cartmell Funeral Home on Sunday from 3:00 to 5:30 pm. Cremation will take place at Vine Hills Crematory, Plymouth.
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I attended John’s funeral yesterday in Plymouth. Other PR Newswire people paying respects included Charlie Morin, Jerry Mitchell, Todd Grossman, Larry Thomas, Dave Haapaoja, Mark Nowlan, Mary Salzillo Levine, Heather Schwanke and Michelle Beaudreau. Donna appreciated the show of support for John’s work at PR Newswire.
15:18 on November 24th, 2011 1
Let’s not forget his service in Vietnam as well…Thanks for the touching tribute, Dave.
Susan
16:03 on November 24th, 2011 2
Dave – you are a gifted writer. My favorite John story was when he would call all of the offices to check how we sounded to our customers. Many a new hire would never answer the phone again
John had a profound impact on my career when we worked together in Boston. I will miss him.
19:20 on November 24th, 2011 3
We will miss you so much，John
19:50 on November 24th, 2011 4
Lori Z., you reminded me of when John would call Philadelphia.
“Shari Ford please.”
And I’d say, “May I ask who’s calling?”
And he’d say, “Yes.”
… Silence…
And I’d say, “Um … who’s calling?”
“John Williams.”
21:04 on November 24th, 2011 5
A very nice tribute to John.
21:05 on November 24th, 2011 6
John would always ask: What’s the most important thing we sell? The only answer, of course, was: service.
He made PR Newswire a better place, and he helped make those of us who worked there better as well.
Go in peace, John.
22:19 on November 24th, 2011 7
Dave: Indeed, thanks for writing this. – Vin
00:37 on November 25th, 2011 8
I professionally developed into who I am today because of John. He was an innovator. And always looking to see how we/he could do better. He was never afraid to take chances.
But even more inspirational than his business outlook was his positive and can-do attitude. John was compassionate and kind.
The world was a better place because of him.
01:26 on November 25th, 2011 9
same question in China! The answer: SERVICE!
05:47 on November 25th, 2011 10
This is such a wonderful tribute. John was so full of life and passionate about everything he did; his enthusiasm was contagious. He set a fine example for us all at PR Newswire. Thank you John. Rest in peace.
06:06 on November 25th, 2011 11
Oh John. The first time John came to our offices, he sat me down and told me, if I ever felt things weren’t right or that we were doing a disservice to our clients, I could (should!) come straight to him. It made me feel important. Rest in Peace.
07:16 on November 25th, 2011 12
The picture of Calvin as Mr T, along with John, Derek and McWilliams hangs in my cube to this day.
07:44 on November 25th, 2011 13
Another question John always ask to sales people is “Any sales call today?”
08:17 on November 25th, 2011 14
What a great tribute to John. He was a brilliant business man (with a big heart) who was not afraid of taking risks and really understood the importance of putting the customer first. I will miss you John.
08:46 on November 25th, 2011 15
I have many fond memories of John but one of my favorites was having dinner with him at Jerry’s house one evening just after I started at PRN. He told so many great stories and had us lauging and cutting up the whole time. The passion he had for the business will never be duplicated. He will be missed.
09:18 on November 25th, 2011 16
So sorry to see this news. John, of course, also led PRN and the industry into new media, becoming a very early adopter. He recruited Larry Thomas and me to run the nascent new media bizdev efforts in the 1990s (bringing me over from The New York Times Company). We both had UPI roots, and with NYT I had done an early content sharing deal with him. At PRN, I remember (fondly) John’s screaming matches with the IT department, which initially regarded the Web as a passing fad. One day at a Management Team meeting, upon being told that PRN employees should have “limited access” to the Web, he slammed his hands down on the table and screamed, “IT IS THE SAME THING AS SAYING LET’S HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO THE TELEPHONE! THIS IS HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COMMUNICATE.” John indeed was a visionary and a true leader, and there was no other like him I’ve ever met. He also could be a great deal of fun and was loyal as could be. He didn’t understand how a man could be a vegan (or non-hunter), and at a company retreat in Vermont he tried to make me eat his deer-meat stew. I secretly substituted it for vegan stew that I had protectively brought with me. He saw me eating something brown in a bowl with the other PRN managers and said, “There ya go.” RIP, John.
11:02 on November 25th, 2011 17
John was one that embraced everything that life offered him and always encouraged others to do the same. He will be missed.
11:03 on November 25th, 2011 18
John was, without question, the most prolific innovator in the news release distribution business. Above all, he was my friend and a good one for some 30 years. I will miss him.
11:51 on November 25th, 2011 19
Saddened that I probably learned more about John from this obituary than I did when I worked for PRN (San Diego & LA) for seven years in the ’90s. RIP John.
13:25 on November 25th, 2011 20
Dave, You captured so much in this nice post. For those who want to send a note to Donna Williams, they can do so at 31 Grey Shale, Plymouth, MA 02360.
13:25 on November 25th, 2011 21
Dave did an excellent job highlighting John’s accomplishments. Let me add a personal note. He was visionary when it came to business opportunities and will forever be grateful for his confidence in me. I never wanted to let him down.
But I will cherish our times together the last few years fishing and hunting in Alaska, Canada, Vermont, idaho and here in Utah. He loved the red rock country of Southern Utah. On a golfing trip just last year, he talked frequently about living life to its fullest. He loved to come and spend time with Debbie and the girls and grew more reflective of life telling me just last week that life is too short not to be happy. How right he is.
That said, he could make me laugh like no other. John was funny and had a sharp wit knowing when to push my buttons. Whether it was busting my chops about my golf game or having respectful fun of my “Big Love” heritage, John kept me on my toes. (Btw…I knew how to push his buttons as well).
I can visualize him telling some of the same stories over including my favorite growing up in tough surroundings in up-state, New York, “I was 12 years old before realizing my name wasn’t ‘get wood’”.
John will live forever in my memory as a motivating leader, a dear friend and a hunting buddy with the reflective soul of a poet.
13:42 on November 25th, 2011 22
John was one of a kind and leaves a lasting legacy through his commitment, passion and drive. One of my fondest memories of John is the time we visited him in China.
John will be missed. RIP good buddy.
14:44 on November 25th, 2011 23
John: I will forever cherish our almost-daily telephone exchanges during those heady, competitive days of the late 80s and into the 90s. I remember some of your classic lines, none of which can be repeated here because of libel and language concerns, and I recall our constant challenges at PRN sales conferences when we tried to raise the bar. Of all the people I have met over 30 years in the newswire industry, you stand out, my friend, as the most passionate of all. May you rest in the peace you have earned, and may those who survive take lesson from all that you gave.
16:44 on November 25th, 2011 24
Thank you, Dave, for this tribute. John was a force of nature, with a passion for what he believed was right. WHe touched so many lives, and we are all different today because of John’s presence. He was truly an original, and “his like shall never be seen again on the face of this earth”.
18:10 on November 25th, 2011 25
Love the venison story, Bill. Good job with the switcheroo to non-dead chow.
BTW, visiting hours and funeral are Sunday in Plymouth. Details here.
20:53 on November 25th, 2011 26
A memorial service will be also be held in Chicago on December 7th at 7pm. More details to come soon.
23:24 on November 25th, 2011 27
John – I never got to tell you how much you positively impacted my life. I will never forget all those personal and professional pep talks you gave me. I still apply the six steps of success that you’d work with me on. You were a very selfless guy, always wanting people to push for the best effort, whatever it was someone was doing. I will miss you and wished we had met up these last few years. I would not be where I am today without your impact and words I still have in a notebook about what it takes to be the best. The world lost a real fighter on Tuesday. Go easy on those UPI reporters up there in heaven. Thank you for all that you did for me. – Nourie
00:58 on November 26th, 2011 28
John was a whirling dervish who made those around him want to move faster. He was a key figure in transforming the news release industry from the “flack wires” to the respected and essential communication services they are today. His quest to find and invent new services was inspiring to all those who worked with him. John brought an entrepreneurial spirit to PR Newswire that was contagious, inspiring those around him to think beyond the moment and into the future. There was nothing boring about John Williams. Like many, many others, I am grateful for having known him.
06:09 on November 26th, 2011 29
Wonderfully written Dave. John was my first mentor and an incredibly inspirational man. I was fortunate to have that same venison stew in VT, play golf and even go a few rounds in the ring with John. I was also lucky to be the Syracuse alumni sales support pleep that sat closest to the Bloomberg box and fondly remember him calling me from his office and saying “Noble, go tell me how MSFT is doing”. My thoughts are with Donna and his family.
10:09 on November 26th, 2011 30
Thank you for bringing PRN to China. Because of you, our life was changed. Miss you. RIP John.
18:18 on November 26th, 2011 31
No wonder, I went on Linked In today, all I’ve thought of for the past few days has been PRN. John always motivated me to do my very very best. There was nothing like those days. I echo Stu’s words in that I never wanted to let him down. Thanks for posting this Todd and for writing it Dave.
18:54 on November 26th, 2011 32
Thanks, Dave, for not just a great article, but a great tribute! I remember these stories; especially John calling the newsroom, barking a question about PRN’s #1 product. It was like a Russian roulette pop quiz. He didn’t expect your “A” game; he demanded it and he got it. He made me a better person and I am lucky to have known him.
10:00 on November 27th, 2011 33
2 quick stories of two different views to a business partner.
The tough and fair businessman came through after the .com bust hurting both PRN and Comtex where I was CEO. John graciously increased our take on his content helping us survive the .com bust.
Then a month or so after 9/11 in his office looking downtown from his office jjenno@marketsensus.com he very emotionally told me that seeing the smoke had literally put him back in Vietnam.
13:58 on November 27th, 2011 34
John’s thing about “testing” the staff by calling from outside really worked. Some poor shlub would run to answer the phone “PR Newswire” only to hear “FOUR rings??? WHO THE HELL IS THIS?” It certainly made people answer the phone promptly, and professionally.
15:38 on November 27th, 2011 35
Being the spouse of a PRNer didn’t give you immunity from John’s wit. The first time I met him, he picked me up in a limo for a big event and told me of his wife Donna’s beauty. He challenged me to meet hers. I replied, “I love to eat so all bets are off.” I think Dave nearly died. From that night on, John and I had a firm understanding of each other. He’d preface each meeting with, “There’s my Lefty. I won’t even bother with politics!” Having John over for dinner was always a memorable, pleasant experience. He was such an intelligent man.
Today, while thinking of John, I went to a Chinese massage therapist to treat a pain in my shoulder. Without asking, and I’ve been to this place a few dozen times, I ended up with a foot massage too. I burst into tears. I relayed to the masseuse the story of my trip to China to see John.
Years ago, when Dave and I visited China on XPRN business, John was insistant I get a foot massage. He insisted that there was nothing better, and after five days of tricking him, I avoided the foot prodding. So today, John, rest easy you were right…that was a damn good feeling!
I can’t believe you’re gone. You helped Dave so much on so many levels. Peace.
19:23 on November 27th, 2011 36
You had to know him. I had that privileged for about sixty years. He corrected my grammar since grade school, with my usual retort, “Who cares!” I called John on his 50th birthday disguising my voice with an Italian accent. He hung up on me twice before turning off his phone. I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair picturing how red his face was turning. I did the same thing on his 60th birthday. I intended on fessing up when we were together this summer at our 50th reunion…….don’t wait to tell someone how much you love him. BFF – PONCH
12:44 on November 28th, 2011 37
May you be playing in the presence of Angels and Saints.
xxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooo
14:23 on November 28th, 2011 38
I first met John back in 1972 when I joined the Business Desk at UPI after two years in the US Army. Since John and I had both served during the Vietnam War, we quickly became friends. He became known as “John-O” and I became “Ron-O.” John and I had both inherited a small amount of money. We both commiserated with each other as it became even smaller though a brutal bear market. I still remember John being the owner of Ames Department Stores—symbol ADD—which he prompted renamed Alpha Dog Dog as the stock broke his heart everyday.
On nights when John was in the city late, he used my couch on the upper East Side. “Ron-O, this is John-O” the calls would come in…”I’m at Charlie-Os and you can’t believe what I have.” ….well you all have imaginations. Then, my wife and I shared a ski house with John up in Danby, Vt. On the mountain, John was about as competitive as he was at sea level. I still remember him smashing at the snow with his pole after a rough ride down the Grand National at Stowe. Once he took up boxing, he did it with fervor as well. I remember being at the Financial Follies, dressed in my tux, when John challenged me to a push-up contest. Not just any push-up but those done with hands curled up into fists. As he moved higher into PRN, we kind of lost touch. But, John-O, no question, we’ll all miss your passion, your mischief, your comments about our copy…Ron Scherer
14:43 on November 28th, 2011 39
John, thanks for the laughs, the stories, the friendship and the memories. RIP and you will be missed
15:14 on November 28th, 2011 40
What a beautiful tribute, Dave. The first image that always pops into my head is John in his Superman outfit at one of the PRN sales conferences. He truly was a SUPER MAN! He will be missed.
16:51 on November 28th, 2011 41
This was very sad news. He was a great influence, supporter and leader. When I left PRN – weeks later he sent a handwritten note in the mail to my house – thanking me and to wish me well. That meant a lot to me.
09:15 on November 29th, 2011 42
I’ll never forget John’s response when he asked me in for an interview and I told him that BW had already called me earlier that morning! And of course, I went on to work for him for five years.
An unyielding commitment to excellence and technological advancement across the board – and you always knew where you stood!
In a black and white newswire world, John Williams was technicolor.
Peace. Marjorie Silverman
14:50 on November 30th, 2011 43
Really sorry to hear about John.What a great guy! What is the update on the Memorial in Chicago. Would really like to go….
15:12 on November 30th, 2011 44
Steve —
I just sent an email to Megan asking her to alert us to the details for the Chicago event. Hopefully she will post shortly.
Dave
04:33 on December 1st, 2011 45
Old soldiers never die, they just fade away. John, rest in peace.
02:07 on December 2nd, 2011 46
A memorial service in Chicago for John will be held this coming Monday December 5th at 7pm @ Saint Clement Church 642 West Deming Place Chicago, IL 60614-2618. We’d love for you to join us. Feel free to contact me directly if you need any additional details – mbrehman@gmail.com.