Jason Taylor, Marion High School Class of 1992, an industry leader in publishing, media and event management, is founder and President of USAToday Network Ventures, part of international media giant Gannett, and a philanthropist committed to improving the communities he has called home.
During his time in publishing, his newspapers earned the biggest honors in the industry, including multiple Pulitzer nominations, ADDY Awards, ATHENA Awards, INMA Awards, multiple Newspaper of the Year Awards, multiple General Excellence Awards, multiple NAAs, and 10 Newspapers Doing It Right Awards.
Taylor has been featured in articles by most every major news outlet, publication and network, including CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, Forbes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, E!, TMZ, People, and more. He has even been featured in a Netflix documentary.
After Marion High School, Taylor earned his Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communication from the University of Evansville in 1996. He began his career in publishing with Morris Multimedia, first at The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he served as Director of Marketing and Advertising from 1999 to 2003, before being named General Manager of The Gainesville Times in Georgia in 2003.
Taylor was later named Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii’s largest newspaper. During his tenure in Hawaii, he was recognized as Gannett’s 2006 Executive of the Year and also received the company’s Chairman's Award in 2006 and 2007.
Taylor then served seven years as President of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, where he was repeatedly recognized both regionally and nationally in multiple areas of performance including editorial, advertising, circulation and marketing. In 2010, he was recognized with the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award for lifetime achievement.
After that, Taylor returned as Regional President for Gannett/USA Today Network while President and Publisher of the Clarion Ledger for less than a year, before being named President of Western U.S. Publishing for global media giant GateHouse Media and President and Publisher of the Las Vegas Review Journal, both operated at the time by New Media Investment Group Ventures, (now Gannett/USAToday Network.)
In 2016, Taylor also founded GateHouse Live, now USAToday Network Ventures, the largest media-owned events and promotions company in the United States. Ventures produces more than 540 events annually, including some of the nation’s largest endurance races, expos, award shows, and festivals.
Taylor’s high energy, innovative approach to local media and event management has earned him numerous industry accolades. He is a highly rated speaker and trainer and has presented his approach in 46 states and more than 75 industry and related conferences. His ideas and strategies have been implemented at both large and small newspapers and media companies across the US, Canada and Europe. His industry-leading events and promotions strategy is unparalleled in the industry.
He has negotiated production deals with Mark Burnett, Mark Cuban, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, GameShow Network, and more. He has worked with dozens of the biggest celebrities in the country, including top athletes Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, and Drew Brees; top entertainers Gal Gadot, Kim Kardashian, and the Property Brothers; and American icons Betty White, Dolly Parton, and Martha Stewart. He has met with U.S. presidents, countless U.S. senators and Congressional representatives, governors, and mayors.
But beyond his already impressive work, Jason and his wife, Honey, generously contribute to numerous organizations and causes significant to them, including the Emory University Foundation, the University of Evansville Foundation, the University of Tennessee Foundation, the University of Hawaii Foundation, the Tocqueville Society of the United Way, Boys Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity and many, many more.
Taylor has created scholarship endowment funds, donated significant capital construction gifts, led major non-profit fundraising campaigns, and has also helped fund many initiatives for the nonprofits he has supported.
In addition, he has created and leads hundreds of projects and events across the country that directly benefit local nonprofits, at-risk youths, and other causes Jason is passionate about, contributing millions of dollars in much-needed funds annually.
He has also served on dozens of nonprofit boards at regional, state and national levels, including the Board of Governors at Emory University; the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, for which he raised $11 million as Campaign Chairman in 2015; the Tennessee Press Association, for which he served as President; the Board of America’s Newspapers, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, the Inland Press Association, and the Hawaii Press Association; the Board of the Children’s Discovery Museum (Tennessee); the Rutherford County (Tennessee) Chamber of Commerce, for which he served as Public Relations Chair; the Rotary Club, HUGS Hawaii, and the Parent Teacher Associations at Thrasher Elementary in Tennessee and Kamilioki Elementary School in Hawaii, both of which he served as President; and the Rotary Club. He also served many years as a children’s church pastor at Calvary Chapel.
Jason and Honey Taylor have been married 23 years and have three children.