Jay Harris was publisher of the San Jose Mercury News from 1994
until resigning his post this past March.
While there, he oversaw the creation of two weekly newspapers,
Nuevo Mundo and Viet Mercury, serving the Spanish and
Vietnamese speaking communities in Silicon Valley.
Previously, Mr. Harris worked for the Mercury News’ parent
company, Knight Ridder, joining it in 1988 as the assistant to the
president and then working as vice president of operations. From
1985 to 1988, he was the executive editor of the Philadelphia Daily
News.
Before that, he was a national correspondent and columnist for the
Gannett News Service and a reporter and editor for the Wilmington
News Journal.
Mr. Harris was also on the journalism faculty of Northwestern
University, having served as the assistant dean for its Medell School
of Journalism.
He is currently a trustee for the John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation. He has been on the board of the Silicon Valley
Manufacturing Group, the Bay Area Council, Joint Venture: Silicon
Valley Network, the American Press Institute, the Pacific Council on
International Policy, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He also
has acted as chairman for fund-raisers benefiting the Mexican-
American Community Services Agency and the Eastside YMCA.
Mr. Harris received his bachelor's degree at Lincoln University in
Pennsylvania in 1970 and was granted an honorary doctorate there in
1988.
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