The Society is saddened by the loss of SND co-founder and past president, Richard Curtis, who passed away Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022.
Richard’s impact on the visual storytelling and design community will continue to be forever remembered. He was a founding editor of USA TODAY where he was the chief architect of an innovative design style when the newspaper was created in 1982. Curtis, who served as the Society’s third president (1982-83) was the managing editor for graphics and photography at USA TODAY at the time. His work had been studied by many young journalism design students and he has influenced many of the best practicers of our craft.
“For many visual designers, I don’t know that we would have had the opportunities in our industry without individuals like Richard,” said SND Interim Executive Director and past president, Paige K. Connor. “SND has given so many designers the opportunity to connect and learn from other like-minded designers around the world. Because Richard helped create this organization, this environment to share and exchange ideas, our community has continued to grow and innovate in journalism and design.”
In a letter to friends and colleagues when he retired from USA TODAY in 2008, Curtis wrote:
“I can well remember my first day at USA TODAY in January 1982. It was filled with so much promise and wonderment. Finally, journalists, artists, photographers and designers would get an opportunity to create the newspaper of their dreams. It was a day for which we all had dreamed.”
Curtis grew up in Hudson, N.C., and got his start in journalism as editor of The Technician, the student newspaper at N.C. State University. He served as assistant managing editor for graphics and features of The (Baltimore) News American, and worked for the Miami News and the St. Petersburg Times in Florida before joining USA TODAY.
Remembrances
Many people associated with SND have reacted to the sad news of Richard’s passing.
“Richard epitomized the role SND President. He was not defined by the title but HE defined the roll and meaning of President and leader for this infant group of visual journalists. He provided us with direction to build an organization that was critically needed to compete in a new visually literate community of readers. He was our friend and helped us follow in his footsteps with a clear focus and sense of urgency to build this group to provide a more relevant and consumable news product.”
Tony Majeri, SND past president (1988)
“The memories I will always treasure are of all the laughter we shared. Going way back, while standing together on a side wall of SND presentations. And, over the last number of years, sitting across from each other at breakfast here in DC with our buddy Michael Keegan. I will miss his humor, his smile and his good heart. I’ve never met a kinder, more thoughtful person.”
Rob Covey, SND past president (1989)
“Richard was a special guy and so important to the maturity of the Society for New Design as well as a roll model for a lot of aspiring news designers. I think of his infectious grin. It was broad and proclaimed “today is a great day.” He was one of the pillars of American newspaper design for 30+ years. His work at USA TODAY was that of a design pioneer. He was a special friend.”
Michael Keegan, Former art director, The Washington Post, Former SND workshop site chair
“I met Richard in 1978 at API’s very first design workshop — which led to the founding of SND. As a design newbie, I quickly realized I had no business sitting around the conference table with so many sophisticated, talented designers.
But here’s the thing: No one was smarter, more articulate or more accomplished than Richard. But nobody was as generous toward me than he was.
For more than 40 years, I benefited from his wisdom and friendship and enjoyed his good judgment and gentle humor.
He was a big man. Thoughtful, generous and dependable. He was a treasure to all of us who were lucky enough to work alongside him in any capacity.
Losing Richard is a great, great loss.”
Neal Pattison, SND past president (1997)
“I don’t think there exists a photograph of Richard without his glowing smile. He was a man of humility and grace and I have been lucky to have been his friend for 50 years. It’s hard to know what to say. I’m thinking of what Edmund de Waal wrote, ‘There is no straight road to finding yourself, to making something. Think of how grateful you are for some company on the road. That is the consolation, someone walking part of the way by your side, that means almost everything. Everything.’”
Robert Lockwood, SND past president (1979-80)
“I was working at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and SND was in its early years just beginning to offer workshops across the country and visiting newspapers with onsite design seminars.
I had been invited to give a presentation for a seminar on the use and importance of typography in newspapers.
Other speakers that day included established design stars; Tony Majeri, Phil Ritzenburg, Rob Covey, Maggie Balough, Lynn Staley and of course, Richard Curtis.
I was in the company of some real heavy weights and was certain I would stumble and stutter and fumble the ball.
Richard must have noticed how nervous I was because he took me aside and gave me a pep talk. Telling me that he was confident that I would do well in my presentation and that the most important thing to remember was that everyone in the audience was glad it was me up there and not them.
While that may not have been entirely true, it was just the right amount of humor to put me at ease and to provide the proper perspective to my presentation.
In the years that followed Richard became a mentor and friend and I am deeply saddend that he is gone, but his kindness is not to be forgotten.
Ed Kohorst, SND past president (1999)
“During Richard’s career from North Carolina, Miami, Baltimore and the Washington, D.C., area, his influence was shown in the simplicity of creating a visual package.
Richard encouraged himself, staffs and designers to make the present of the story be easy for the reader to understand the content of the article. His use of centerpieces, informational graphic, segmented stories and photographs were the standard for the news industry. Richard was a great visual storyteller. In the summer of 1992 I was lucky to travel throughout Spain with Richard and other SND designers and former presidents to carry the visual communication flag to Madrid, Pamplona, Barcelona, Jerez, Seville and Tenerife to educate the editors and visual communicators of the Spanish newspapers through SNDE, the Spanish chapter. We were on the road for two-plus weeks with long days and entertaining evenings. Richard – representing USA TODAY – was the star of the show.”
Carl Stano, SND past president (1992)
“As a young designer I was In awe of Richard and his legacy in the creative industry. What I will remember most are his accomplishments, yes, but even more his encouraging words, great kindness, friendly demeanour, and absolute passion for our craft.”
Deborah Withey, SND past president (1995)
“I remember the impact that Richard Curtis had on newspaper designers around the time that USA TODAY came out. Richard was the type of designer who knew that all that we do as designers is to make the content easier to digest. His career emphasized that concept. In the process, he inspired young designers to enter careers in newspaper design. More importantly, he was able to convince die hard traditional journalists that visuals could enhance stories, making them easier to read. Richard is forever in that hall of fame of visual journalists who devoted their careers to fostering how writing/editing/design come together.”
Dr. Mario R. García, CEO/Founder, García Media
“Richard was a fantastic individual that always made the time to meet with me in Washington D.C. when I first got out of college. What made USA TODAY the creative mecca was Richard’s ability to hire a talented, diverse workforce of graphic designers that reflect the newspaper’s national and international audience. His suggestions and insight paved the way for a better understanding of how visuals shed light on complex content.”
Susan Mango Curtis, SND past president (2004)
“I first met Richard in 1980 in Jacksonville, Florida, when he was AME at the Baltimore News American. We were speakers at the 2nd annual SND “seminar” (as it was then called, and SND stood for Society of Newspaper Design). I don’t remember his talk, but we spoke often after USA Today was launched two years later, and he graciously invited me to talk to his great team of artists a couple of times. Richard was a kind, thoughtful man whose influence on our business was unparalleled, and although we lost touch in later years, I am saddened by his death, and will miss him, as will the whole industry.”
Nigel Holmes, SND Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
“Richard Curtis was one of my biggest heroes in visual journalism even before I met him. And I was delighted when he took a liking to me, my work and my blogging. When he found out I was sitting at Dulles airport for hours and hours during layovers on my way to and from South Africa, he’d drive over and have lunch with me. To this day, he’s one of my references. Man, am I going to miss him.”
Charles Apple
“The visual journalism community lost a fierce champion disguised as one of the nicest people on the planet. Richard was a smart, generous, kind mentor, a true visionary. Our hearts go out to Jane and his family. Rest well, Richard.”
David Kordalski, SND past president (2015)
“Richard Curtis changed the playbook for news designers. His pioneering work at USA TODAY ushered in more than a robust use of color and explanatory graphics; Richard pushed news storytelling toward greater clarity and brevity. I always thought of Richard as a fierce advocate for busy readers.”
Matt Mansfield, SND past president (2009)
“Much of the 1980s and 1990s boom in information graphics at American newspapers can be traced to the work that Richard (and George Rorick) did at USA TODAY. It was groundbreaking to have visual storytelling so prominent in a newspaper — a distinction that helped propel it from start-up to national powerhouse.”
Kris Viesselman, SND past president (2010)
“Richard helped redefine modern news design, was part of the foundation for the Society that would go on to help scores of designers around the globe, and set a model we all could aspire to follow as leaders.”
Steve Dorsey, SND past president (2011)
“Richard was a true leader — both at USA TODAY as well as for SND. He was one of the first editors to champion the term ‘visual journalism’ and defend its value. That stayed true throughout his career. But more importantly, Richard just cared. He cared about the success of visual journalists, and nurtured their development. And in terms of SND, Richard had the ability to bring members together in ways both big and small. He left an impact on so many of us.”
Scott Goldman, past president of SND (2007)
“I was so fortunate to have had several one-on-one conversations with Richard, to pick his brain on his groundbreaking work on USA TODAY. He was always open and honest, sharing fully his thoughts on the heady early days, how it evolved and how he would have rather seen it evolve. He was irritated by those who trivialized what USA TODAY was able to accomplish graphically, even as some of those critics capitalized on it and just were able to do things differently in a different kind of publication. He could deliver devastating critiques and wonderful encouragement in that same, wonderful drawl. Richard was such a treasure to visual journalism.”
Tracy Collins, Former SND Foundation president
“Richard was designing prototypes for USA TODAY as I was doing so for the Orange County Register. He was generous to share them with Chris (Anderson, they were SND founders together) and me. I so regret misplacing my copy of his Benguiat (4th) prototype. A couple of years ago I asked if he had an extra copy to share. He said he didn’t even have a copy for himself, all having disappeared over the years. He took a lot of guff for creating McPaper, but honestly, his work turned the corner for the industry. NYT and LAT had issued statements that they’d never go to color, it lacked gravitas. USA TODAY took what had started in St. Pete and Miami, and I followed with the Register, and helped move design into the current century. Richard’s work spawned several disciples and acolytes, even if that growing legion didn’t realize it. I always looked forward to seeing Richard (and Keegan, Covey, Ritzenberg, Watson, Benge and so many more) at SND and other industry gatherings. They, and many who followed, were sharing and encouraging in a time of great change. Richard was central to all of that.”
Brian Steffens, Former AME/Design and Visuals at OC Register; Graphics Director & committee to launch daily color at LA Times. Now retired from the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism.
“I believe I hired Richard 50+ years ago, at the then-St. Petersburg Times, right out of college. As I recall, he was not a journalism student, didn’t, in fact, know much at all about newspapers or journalism …. and actually was majoring in something such as “commercial … or packaging … or industrial … design. But I was impressed with the passion he had when he said he was pretty sure that what he knew about designing, say, cereal packages that could make people want to buy them … also could make newspaper pages more attractive, more enticing, and easier to read. (He obviously was smart, and I thought we could teach him the journalism piece.) Yes, it was a bit of a roll of the hiring dice … but I thought the potential was worth the risk … and it sure worked out! It wasn’t long before Richard was the News Editor of the Style Section … and had given it a completely new–and great–look. (And the rest is newspaper design history.!)
Bob Haiman, retired Executive Editor of the St. Petersburg (now Tampa Bay) Times, and the President Emeritus of the Poynter Institute.
“Richard has a huge legacy in our news design industry – as a generous leader, mentor and friend.
I recall being on the SND Ethics Committee with Richard. Words such as logic, literalness, fairness, objectivity were brought forward and I introduced the word ‘courage’. Other committee members looked at me with questioning looks. Although I had prepared to present ‘courage’, I felt intimidated and could not find my words. Richard gently helped me find my words. He got it! He understood imagination, intuition, empathy and how it took courage to step beyond boundaries. How we at SND needed to test convention and explore innovative story telling. He did that as an SND leader. And he was kind about it too!
He will be missed but not forgotten.”
Gayle Grin, SND past president, 2008
If you would like to share a memory or story of Richard Curtis, please email us at snd@snd.org.