Jacksonville biz journalist leaves paper to run non-profit

Karen Brune Mathis, who was the business editor and columnist for the Florida Times-Union before moving to metro last year, is retiring from the paper to run a local non-profit, a short story in the paper said Tuesday.

Jessie-Lynn Kerr wrote, “‘Karen made a lasting impression on the Times-Union, the journalism profession and our community,’ Times-Union Editor Pat Yack said. ‘She is an authoritative reporter and columnist. She will serve Dreams Come True with the same dedication and warmth that she served our readers. We will miss her at the paper and wish her every success in her new position.’

“A native of Washington, Mo., Mathis received a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1978 from the University of Missouri Columbia.

“She started work at the Times-Union a month later as a business writer. She left the newspaper in March 1980 to be a producer and the business editor of WJCT TV-7 in Jacksonville.

“Returning to the Times-Union in August 1981, she was promoted to business editor in October 1983. Mathis was at the helm of the department when it first produced the Monday business supplement First Business in 1987. In September 1989 she became a senior writer and columnist for the business section until moving to the Metro section in July 2006.”

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