Harold Allen Fernald
{{short description|American multi-millionaire, publishing executive & philanthropist (born 1932)}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = H. Allen Fernald
| birth_date = {{bda|1932|6|1}}
| birth_place = {{nowrap|Haverhill, Massachusetts, United States}}
| death_date = June 2, 2025
| death_place = Rockport, ME
| alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Maine, B.A.|New York University, M.B.A.|University of Maine, Ph.D.|University of Maine, D.Litt.}}
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| spouse = {{marriage|Sally Camilla Carroll|June 23, 1956}}
| children = 3
| father = Harold Allen Fernald
| mother = Leona Swan Horton
}}
}}
H. Allen Fernald (born June 1, 1932) is an American multi-millionaire, publishing executive, and philanthropist.{{Cite web |url=https://www.philanthropy.com/factfile/gifts_detail?GiftDonorJoin_a_DonorID=PGDON3056 |title=The Chronicle of Philanthropy |access-date=2016-12-25 |archive-date=2016-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225214522/https://www.philanthropy.com/factfile/gifts_detail?GiftDonorJoin_a_DonorID=PGDON3056 |url-status=dead }} He is the owner and chairman of Down East Enterprise in Rockport, Maine, which publishes Down East and Shooting Sportsman magazines.{{cite web | url=https://umaine.edu/podcasts/2022/04/21/s6e10-how-has-umaine-impacted-allen-and-sally-fernald-and-vice-versa/ | title=S6E10: How has UMaine impacted Allen and Sally Fernald and vice versa? - the Maine Question - University of Maine | date=April 21, 2022 }} He was the Chief Executive Officer of Holt, Rinehart & Winston from 1995—1999.https://www.newspapers.com/image/853804268/?match=1&terms=%22Allen%20Fernald%22
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Maine, 1954, Alpha Tau Omega{{cite news |title=Maine colleges, universities ready May 18 graduations Gov. King to address UMaine's 200th commencement |work=Bangor Daily News |date=May 16, 2002 |page=6 |id={{ProQuest|414090465}} |quote=H. Allen Fernald, a 1954 graduate}} {{subscription required}}
- Master of Business Administration, New York University, 1964{{cite news |title=Wilton Man Assigned Top Publishing Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bridgeport-post-h-allen-fernald/130267753/ |work=The Bridgeport Post |date=March 17, 1972 |page=8N}}
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Maine, 2002{{cite news |title=Commencements |work=Boston Globe |date=May 19, 2002 |page=B5 |id={{ProQuest|405449398}} |quote=H. Allen Fernald, publisher}} {{subscription required}}
- Doctor of Letters, University of Maine, 2002
Philanthropy
In January 2005, H. Allen Fernald and his wife, Sally Carroll Fernald, gifted 86-acres of pristine forest on the summit of Bald Mountain to the Coastal Mountains Land Trust.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mainecf.org/portals/0/pdfs/2/mainetiesspring05.pdf |title=Allen and Sally Fernald give back to Maine|date=2005|website=Maine Community Foundation|access-date=2016-12-25 |archive-date=2010-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214230849/http://mainecf.org/portals/0/pdfs/2/mainetiesspring05.pdf |url-status=dead }} In 2007, H. Allen Fernald personally donated $1,000,000.00 to the University of Maine to support the arts.{{Cite web|url=https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2007/06/18/umaine-announces-million-dollar-gift-prominent-alums-receive-stillwater-society-presidential-awards/|title = UMaine Announces Million-Dollar Gift; Prominent Alums Receive Stillwater Society Presidential Awards|author=Carr, Joe|website= University of Maine|date = 18 June 2007}}
Career
H. Allen Fernald began his career in Manhattan in the 1960s, "[rising quickly] through the ranks of Holt, Rinehart & Winston and later CBS, ultimately becoming their senior vice president and head of the college publishing division."{{cite web |title=Allen Fernald, Ballroom Prodigy |url=http://wayfinderschools.org/the-school-blog/2850/allen-fernald-ballroom-prodigy |website=Wayfinder Schools |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222152303/http://wayfinderschools.org/the-school-blog/2850/allen-fernald-ballroom-prodigy |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |date=April 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 21, 2016 }} From 1970-1977, Fernald was the vice president of Columbia Broadcasting Systems. From 1981-1985, he was the president of Hanson Energy Products, Inc.
In 1977, he and Sally Fernald purchased Down East magazine, then based in Camden, and moved to the area. At the time, Down East published 10 issues a year and had color on only four pages per issue. The Fernalds increased the number of issues to 12 per year and introduced color throughout.{{cite web | url=https://umaine.edu/podcasts/2022/04/21/s6e10-how-has-umaine-impacted-allen-and-sally-fernald-and-vice-versa/ | title=S6E10: How has UMaine impacted Allen and Sally Fernald and vice versa? - the Maine Question - University of Maine | date=April 21, 2022 }} They also added two magazine titles, Shooting Sportsman and Fly Rod & Reel, and a books division, Down East Books. Allen was the company's publisher until his retirement in 2001. https://www.newspapers.com/image/665325513/?terms=%22Allen%20Fernald%22%20 Down East Books was sold to Rowman & Littlefield in 2013.{{cite web | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/56985-rowman-littlefield-buys-down-east-book-assets.html#:~:text=The%20Rowman%20%26%20Littlefield%20Publishing%20Group%20has%20acquired,Fly%20Rod%20%26%20Reel%20Books%20and%20Countrysport%20Press | title=Rowman & Littlefield Buys Down East Book Assets }} Fly Rod & Reel ceased publication in 2017.{{cite web | url=https://www.anglerstonic.com/2017/03/fly-rod-reel-end-of-a-magazine-era/ | title=Fly Rod & Reel: End of a Magazine Era | Angler's Tonic | date=March 26, 2017 }}
From 1978 to 2003, Fernald was a board member of United Publications, Inc. Since 2003, Fernald has served on the board of directors for John Wiley & Sons, Inc. He currently serves as Secretary of the Ocean Energy Institute of the University of Maine. Fernald was an early investor in subaquatic tidal power plants and windmill technologies in the United States of America.
Personal life
He was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts to Harold Allen and Leona Swan (Horton) Fernald). Fernald married Sally Camilla Carroll on June 23, 1956. He has three children and six grandchildren. He has been a resident of the Camden, Maine area since 1977.{{cite web | url=https://umaine.edu/podcasts/2022/04/21/s6e10-how-has-umaine-impacted-allen-and-sally-fernald-and-vice-versa/ | title=S6E10: How has UMaine impacted Allen and Sally Fernald and vice versa? - the Maine Question - University of Maine | date=April 21, 2022 }}