NEW YORK — August 6, 2003 — University of Rhode Island alumnus and Providence native John M. Geddes was recently named as a managing editor for The New York Times.
Geddes, 51, who has been the newspapers deputy managing editor since 1997, will now be responsible for news operations. His newly appointed colleague, Jill Abramson, 49, who has been the publications Washington Bureau chief for the last three years, will focus on newsgathering. The two journalists succeed Gerald Boyd who resigned earlier this year.
Geddes received a bachelor’s degree in economics, graduating cum laude, from URI in 1974 and a master’s degree in business journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 1976.
Throughout his more than 25 years as a journalist Geddes has held numerous positions in the U.S. and abroad — ranging from his days as editor of URIs student newspaper The Good 5 Cent Cigar to bureau chief, Bonn, Germany for The Wall Street Journal.
Prior to joining The Times as a business/financial editor in 1994, Geddes was the chief executive officer of the market research company BIS Strategic Decisions, and a principal at the investment partnership, Friday Holdings.
Prior to that, Geddes worked for the The Wall Street Journal for 13 years in various positions including: deputy managing editor and then managing editor, The Wall Street Journal/Europe; news editor, assistant managing editor, senior editor, and national news editor. He also was a reporter for the AP-Dow Jones News Service.
In recent years at URI, Geddes joined a panel of veteran public relations experts and seasoned newsmen to discuss the strategic uses of communication in politics and its impact on the outcome of political campaigns in 2001. He also was the keynote speaker at URI’s Alumni Awards ceremonies in 1999.