“Stat Man” retiring from Minneapolis-St. Paul Biz Journal

After 28 years of working for the paper, research editor Tom Smith is retiring from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal on Nov. 30.

Jim Hammerand of the paper writes, “Smith, 68, started his journalism career freelancing for the Twin Cities Reader before joining Business Journal predecessor Corporate Report in 1987. There, he edited and grew the Fact Book business directory and authored the regularly appearing ‘Stat Man’ column.

“That award-winning column covered Minnesota’s public companies, which have dwindled in number during Smith’s tenure from 357 to approximately 100.

“Stat Man ‘sort of faded away into the past,’ Smith said. ‘He retired before I did.’

“Smith regularly won recognition for his analysis of Minnesota’s largest public companies and his annual ranking of their most-overpaid and -underpaid chief executives, which last year led to a first-place award for business reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Minnesota Chapter.

“He secured top investigative reporting honors this year with his analysis of Minnesota public company board director pay.”

Read more here.