Georgia Made: The Most Important Figures Who Shaped the State in the 20th Century

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Benjamin Neely Young joined his family owned newspaper, The Valdosta Daily Times, in 1968 and worked for his cousin, Tenney Griffin. After leaving Valdosta, he worked in various positions and as Editor and Publisher for Georgia newspapers in Marietta, Canton, Dalton, Clayton County and in 1986 became CEO of Morris Newspapers in Savannah.

In 1989 he formed Southern Publishing Co. with Tom Cousins and for nine years built a newspaper chain of 13 Georgia newspapers.  Southern Publishing was sold in 1998 to Community Newspaper Holdings.  In January, 1999, Young along with Cousins purchased Georgia Trend Magazine, a 50,000-circulation business and political magazine published and circulated in all 159 counties in Georgia.

Professionally, he is an award winning columnist, and he has served as President of the Georgia Press Association, Associated Press of Georgia, and Chairman of the Georgia Press Education Foundation.

He is the former Chairman of the Atlanta Region Salvation Army and served on several other boards including the Georgia Historical Society, University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism; The University of Georgia Board of Visitors; Medical College of Georgia-Augusta board of Visitors; Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

In 1997 he received the “Others Award”, the highest civilian award given by the national Salvation Army for starting SHARE, the program where utility customers donate to the army’s many programs for the needy. SHARE has raised more than $75 million over the past 30 years. He recently was honored with The Jim Blanchard Leadership Award for his service and leadership during his ownership of Georgia Trend Magazine. Young graduated from UGA.  He and his wife Kathy have 2 sons.