Markowitz, former Pittsburgh Tribune-Review biz editor, dies at 85

Jack Markowitz, the former business editor of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, died Tuesday at the age of 85.

Chris Togneri of the paper writes, “When Jack Markowitz came to the Tribune-Review in 1978, he brought instant credibility to the business desk and a unique ability to mix humor with expertise in explaining complex issues.

“‘He was a superb business columnist,’ said John Oravecz, who succeeded Markowitz as business editor in 1996. ‘Even his run-of-the-mill columns were better than most, but when he was on top of his game, there was nobody better. … He was entertaining and humorous and authoritative. And he knew business and how businesses operate.’

“Mr. Markowitz died Tuesday, April 4, 2017, after a brief battle with lymphoma. He was 85.

“Mr. Markowitz worked more than 60 years in the news business: As a copyboy at the New York Daily News, a reporter at the Philadelphia Daily News and as business editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — where he stayed until 1978 — and then the Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He continued to write columns for the Trib years after his retirement.”

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