Former Scripps Executive Larry Leser Dies

The individual who served in the role today held by Adam Symson between 1985 and 1998 has died at the age of 89.

A Cincinnati native, Lawrence A. “Larry” Leser came to The E.W. Scripps Co. in 1968 as Secretary/Treasurer, rose to Financial VP in 1975 and a decade later ascended to President/CEO of the broadcast TV station owner with WCPO-9 as its flagship property.

Leser died on Monday at the age of 89.

Leser also served as Scripps’ board chairman from 1994-1999. When he left day-to-day management of Scripps, Leser was credited with taking the company public and developed the cable division of Scripps, while also creating an entertainment division. Those divisions led ultimately to the 2008 split of Scripps into two publicly traded companies: The E.W Scripps Company and Scripps Networks Interactive.

“Larry was a brilliant strategist, decisive and never afraid of taking risks,” said Rich Boehne, one of three now-retired CEOs who followed Leser at Scripps. “He also invested in the young talent required to lead the company and its businesses well into the future. Many of us owe our careers to his skillful mentorship.”

Another former Scripps President/CEO, Ken Lowe, shared of Leser, “He had the unique ability to see around corners and capitalize on opportunities in an industry that was – and is – in a perpetual state of change. But in addition to being an outstanding media executive, Larry was a mentor and good friend to many, a civic leader who gave back to his community, and, most importantly, he was a devoted husband, father and man of deep faith. He’ll be sorely missed by all who knew, respected and loved him.”

Symson credits Leser as having “boldly expanded” Scripps’ media business footprint. “Larry added new divisions and businesses and charted a course that led to company success for many years. He balanced a strong management of the company’s core businesses of the time – newspapers and television stations – with embracing what was then a still-emerging cable platform. His legacy has been firmly imprinted into Scripps’ entrepreneurial DNA – from his steady leadership to his ability to cast a vision toward the next media frontier.”

After his 1957 graduation from Xavier University, Leser joined the Cincinnati accounting firm of Haskins and Sells for 11 years and became a CPA. One of his accounts was Scripps Howard, a longtime client of Haskins and Sells. Scripps leaders recruited Leser and his financial expertise to their company.

Leser is survived by his wife, Charmaine Leser. He and his late wife, Anne Johnson Leser, had five children: Kathleen, Lawrence M., Sharon, Nancy and Anne’s son Charles.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Bellarmine Chapel at Xavier University. More information can be found at www.rohdefuneral.com/obituary/lawrence-leser.