Nanya Friend, the editor and publisher of the Charleston Daily Mail in West Virginia, writes about retiring business editor George Hohmann.
Friend writes, “With his title and defining presence in our newspaper, he deserved his own office. And maybe the rest of us wouldn’t hear every word of every interview he conducted in his booming voice.
“George is aware of that voice, and he’s quick to apologize if he senses he has bothered someone.
“If I could choose, I would hear that voice for many years to come. But I cannot.”George has made his own choice, and that is to retire.
“He told me months ago, and I entered a period of denial. He had reached the age where this was possible, but I thought surely he would change his mind. I just couldn’t imagine him not working, and I didn’t want to contemplate the loss of his excellent coverage.
“Of the many great characters I have known in the news business, George stands out.
“To some extent, he cultivated a persona that would cause people to remember him – and return his calls. His flattop haircut, for example, set him apart.
“Other traits did, too.”
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