John E. Gottschalk (; born 1943) is the retired
chief executive officer and publisher of the ''
Omaha World-Herald'' and was the
national president of the Boy Scouts of America
The national chair is the leading volunteer of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, a position comparable to the chairman of a board of directors.
Prior to 2018, the role of National Chair was titled National President. T ...
from 2008 to 2010.
Early life
Gottschalk grew up in
Rushville, Nebraska
Rushville is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, Sheridan County in the state of Nebraska, in the remote Nebraska Sandhills, Sandhills Region. Its population was 890 at the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Sherida ...
. He was a
Boy Scout
A Scout (in some countries a Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or Pathfinder) is a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split ...
from 1951 until 1958, earning the rank of
Life Scout.
His grandfather, Bill Barnes, founded the weekly newspaper ''Sheridan County Star''. Gottschalk's father became owner and publisher of the Star, where John Gottschalk also worked. He attended the
University of Nebraska and majored in political science and journalism.
Gottschalk then purchased the ''Sidney Telegraph''. He was the mayor of
Sidney, Nebraska from 1972 to 1975.
World-Herald
Gottschalk sold the Telegraph in 1974 and began working for the ''World-Herald'' in 1975 as an assistant to the president. He became a vice president and board member in 1980, president in 1985 and CEO and publisher in 1989.
During Gottschalk's tenure, the World-Herald Corporation expanded to include four daily newspapers, 21 weekly community newspapers, direct marketing and product fulfillment companies and minority ownership in the largest election-services company. The newspaper's
Freedom Center production facility was named in his honor upon its opening in August 2001.
Gottschalk retired as CEO and publisher of the ''World-Herald'' on January 1, 2008 but remained the corporate chairman.
Scouting
Gottschalk has been active in the
Boy Scouts of America, and received the
Silver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Upon nomination by their local Scout council and with the approval of the National Court of Honor, recipients of this award are registered adu ...
,
Silver Antelope Award and the James E. West Award. He is also a member of the 1910 Society and the Founders Circle. He received the national
Silver Buffalo Award in 2002.
He served as the chairman for the Mid-America Council from 1994 to 1995, the president of the Central Region, the national chairman for the
2001 National Scout Jamboree and the national executive vice president of the BSA from 2006 to 2008. Gottschalk was selected as the national president of the BSA on May 23, 2008.
He is a member of the
National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, the organization's governing body.
Personal life
Gottschalk's wife is named Carmen. The couple received the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation National Distinguished Public Service Award in 2007.
"Journalism college to honor alumni, leaders" College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gottschalk, John
1943 births
Living people
American publishing chief executives
People from Sheridan County, Nebraska
American philanthropists
National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America members
Mayors of places in Nebraska
People from Sidney, Nebraska
Presidents of the Boy Scouts of America