Donald Dwight

Donald Rathbun Dwight was born on March 26, 1931, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1971-1972|url=https://archive.org/stream/publicofficersof19711972bost#page/20/mode/2up}} His family owned the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. Dwight graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1949 and went on to attend Princeton University. On August 9, 1952, he married Susan Russell, also of Holyoke, at the Second Congregational Church in Holyoke.{{cite news|title=Holyoke Nuptials for Susan Russell|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 10, 1952}} Dwight graduated from Princeton in 1953. After college, he served two years in the United States Marine Corps. He then worked for his family's newspaper, where he became assistant to the publisher in 1957. He also served as a South Hadley town meeting member, director of the J. Russell and Co. and the New England Daily Newspaper Association, trustee of the Mechanics Savings Bank, chairman of Massachusetts Newspaper Information Service, treasurer of the Concord Monitor and the Valley Photo Engraving Corp., and president of the Edwardsville Intelligencer.{{cite news|title=Meet the Five DPW Commissioners|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=December 13, 1963}}

From 1963 to 1966, Dwight was the Associate Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works. During the final two years of his tenure, he was in charge of administration and fiscal affairs under Commissioner Francis W. Sargent.{{cite news|last=Turner|first=Robert L.|title=Sargent Picks Two Key Aides|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=December 16, 1968}} After his resignation, he resumed his job at the Holyoke Transcript.

From September to December 1968, Dwight directed several task forces that researching state problems for Lieutenant Governor Francis W. Sargent, who was about to become Acting Governor upon the resignation of John A. Volpe. In December 1968, Dwight was appointed by Sargent to serve as Commissioner of Administration and Finance. He was sworn in on January 7, 1969. He was also named chairman of the special commission to modernize state government under Sargent.{{cite news|title=Dwight Sworn In|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=January 7, 1969}}

On June 18, 1970, Sargent's running mate in the upcoming election, State Representative Martin Linsky, dropped out of the race and Sargent chose Dwight to replace him on the ticket. Linsky's withdrawal came after it was revealed that police officers had once stopped his car and informed him that the woman he was traveling with was a prostitute.{{cite news|last=Swaim|first=Loring|title=Sarge turns to an old friend|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun/1970-06-19/page-20|access-date=December 21, 2013|newspaper=The Lowell Sun|date=June 19, 1970}}{{cite news|last=Nyhan|first=David|title=Linsky Withdraws; Sargent Chooses Dwight|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 19, 1970}}{{cite news|title=Moderate Named As Kennedy Foe|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19700628&id=un4sAAAAIBAJ&pg=7225,4484847|access-date=December 21, 2013|newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date=June 28, 1970}}{{cite news|last=Lomansey Jr.|first=Martin|title=Campaign spying is an old, old game|url=http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/62035-campaign-spying-is-an-old-old-game/|access-date=January 14, 2014|newspaper=The Boston Phoenix|date=May 22, 2008}} Dwight had been a close confidant of Sargent since their days at the Department of Public Works and Sargent described him on more than one occasion as the man he most trusted.{{cite news|last=Petterson|first=Rachelle|title=Dwight continues whirlwind effort for Republican support|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 25, 1970}} Dwight defeated State Senator John M. Quinlan and Springfield mayor Frank H. Freedman at the Republican convention to win his party's nomination for Lieutenant Governor.{{cite news|last=Nyhan|first=David|title=Dwight Defeats Quinlan on 1st Ballot|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 28, 1970}}

The Sargent-Dwight ticket defeated the Democratic ticket of Kevin White and Michael Dukakis 57% to 43%.{{cite book |title=Election Statistics | url=https://archive.org/stream/electionstatisti19691970mass#page/286/mode/2up }} After the election, Sargent chose Dwight to conduct the search for potential cabinet members.{{cite news|title=Dwight begins search for Sargent's cabinet|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=November 26, 1970}} During Dwight's tenure as Lieutenant Governor, he kept a low profile and tried not to upstage Sargent due to his respect for him. He was not involved in any major policy decisions.

During the 1974 campaign, Sargent tasked Dwight with putting the major aspects of the reelection campaign together, including coordinating advertising and assembling a field organization.{{cite news|last=Patterson|first=Rachelle|title=Dwight awaits call to go fence-mending|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=February 10, 1974}} Sargent and Dwight were defeated in the general election by the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Thomas P. O'Neill III 54% to 42%.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=51798|title = Our Campaigns - MA Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974}}

After the defeat, Dwight began laying groundwork for a potential gubernatorial run, which he ultimately did not pursue.{{cite news|last=Henry III|first=William|title=Where are they now--Sargent, Dwight, Davoren and Quinn?|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=May 4, 1975}} In September 1975, he turned down the position of Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs and moved to Minneapolis to become associate publisher of the Minneapolis Star and Minneapolis Tribune.{{cite news|last=Patterson|first=Rachelle|title=US position turned down by Dwight|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=September 7, 1975}} On April 20, 1976, he was promoted to president and publisher.{{cite news|title=Donald Dwight to head Minn. paper|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=April 21, 1976}} He remained with the paper until November 1, 1982, when John Cowles Jr., president and chief executive officer of the paper's parent company Cowles Media Company, decided to take over as publisher.{{cite news|title=Dwight Dismissed as Paper Publisher|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=November 2, 1982}}

In 1980, Dwight was the subject of a federal investigation relating to the awarding of a state contract during his time as Commissioner of Administration and Finance and Lieutenant Governor. The investigation came after William V. Masiello, a former design firm owner, testified before the Special Commission Concerning State and County Buildings (also known as the Ward Commission after its chairman, John William Ward) that he paid Dwight $2000 in cash in exchange for a state contract. Dwight denied the allegations and called them "an absolute lie by a professional liar". On May 11, 1981, U.S. Attorney Edward F. Harrington announced that Dwight had been cleared of any wrongdoing.{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Walter V.|title=Dwight subject of US criminal investigation|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=April 19, 1980}}{{cite news|last=Doherty|first=William F.|title=Dwight is cleared by US attorney|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=May 12, 1981}}

From 1984 to 1985, Dwight was president and chief executive officer of a health service company.{{cite news|title=Executive Changes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 8, 1984}}{{cite news|title=Executive Changes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 6, 1985}} He went on to publish seven New England newspapers and became chairman of Newspapers of New England. In 1988, he formed the public relations firm Clark, Dwight & Associates in Greenwich, Connecticut.{{cite news|last=Dougherty|first=Philip H.|title= Clark, Dwight Firm Formed in Connecticut|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 15, 1988|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/15/business/the-media-business-advertising-clark-dwight-firm-formed-in-connecticut.html}}

Dwight died on May 4, 2025, at the age of 94.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-07 |title=‘We’ve lost a good one’: Donald R. Dwight remembered as passionate advocate for local journalism |url=https://www.vnews.com/Holyoke-native-Donald-Dwight-newspaper-executive-who-helped-acquire-Gazette-and-keep-newspapers-independent-dies-61063657 |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=Valley News |language=en}}

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{{s-bef|before=Francis Sargent}}

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|years=1970, 1974}}

{{s-aft|after=William I. Cowin}}

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{{Lieutenant Governors of Massachusetts}}

{{Francis W. Sargent cabinet}}

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Category:1931 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:American newspaper publishers (people)

Category:Deerfield Academy alumni

Category:Lieutenant governors of Massachusetts

Category:Massachusetts Republicans

Category:Politicians from Holyoke, Massachusetts

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:Massachusetts Secretaries of Administration and Finance