John McMeel, a former member of IPI鈥檚 Executive Board and former chair of the IPI North American Committee, passed away on July 7 at his home in Kansas City. He was 85.
McMeel joined IPI as a member in the late 1980s and served on the organization鈥檚 Executive Board from 1998 to 2006, during which time he also served as the chair of IPI鈥檚 North American Committee.
In his capacity as IPI鈥檚 North American chair, John McMeel presided over IPI鈥檚 50th聽Anniversary 海角乱伦大神 in Boston in April/May 2000. Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, McMeel highlighted IPI鈥檚 鈥淎merican roots鈥�, citing that the organization had been founded by Lester Markel of the Sunday New York Times in 1950. McMeel said: 鈥淭ogether, we are making Lester Markel鈥檚 dream come true: creating an organization that not only serves the cause of journalism but promotes global understanding and peace.鈥�
鈥淛ohn McMeel was a great asset to journalism worldwide and the IPI network鈥�, IPI North American Chair John Daniszewski said. 鈥淒uring his period as a member of the Executive Board and chair of the North American Committee, John took the lead in strengthening the presence of IPI in the region and guiding us in our global work. His contribution will always be valued by the network.鈥�
In 1970, McMeel and his friend Jim Andrews founded the Universal Press Syndicate from the basement of Andrews鈥檚 apartment in Kansas City. With his excellent salesmanship, McMeel, who was famously called 鈥淒eal McMeel鈥�, ensured exponential growth of the syndication service that went on to become the largest independent newspaper syndicate in the world.
As a fitting culmination to his term as chair of IPI鈥檚 North American Committee, McMeel was present in New York City when IPI was awarded the News and Documentary Emmy on September 25, 2006. The National Television Academy (NTA) honoured IPI and two other organizations, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters sans fronti猫res, for their press freedom work. The IPI director, together with John McMeel and his successor on the IPI Executive Board and North American Committee, Charles Eisendrath, received the honour on behalf of IPI.