Tim Richard
Inducted in 1998
co-founder, Michigan Freedom of Information Committee, and director, News Services, Suburban Communications Corp.
For more than 35 years, the rights of Michigan citizens to know the truth about the workings of public bodies have been enhanced by the reporting of Tim Richard. A graduate of Redford High School, Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1957 and an MBA in 1959 from the University of Michigan. He began his newspaper career as a reporter for the St. Joseph Herald-Press and then moved to theKalamazoo Gazette in the early 1960’s. In 1967 he joined The Observer and Eccentric Newspapers and since 1990 has directed the Suburban Communications Corporation News Service, linking stories on state government to local communities. Best known for his support of the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act of 1976, Richard has devoted much of his career to assisting Michigan citizens on right-to-know issues. His devotion to the First Amendment and freedom of the press helped to create the Michigan Freedom of Information Committee, which he served as president. Richard has received numerous citations, including two national awards from the Suburban Press Foundation and six writing awards from the Michigan Associated Press Association. He also earned the Wade McCree, Jr. Advancement of Justice Award for a series of opinion page articles on legal subjects, including court funding and tort reform. Richard has been awarded honorary associates degree from Schoolcraft Community College and Oakland Community College. Other honors include the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Regional Ambassador and, in 1997, the George Pierrot Journalist of the Year Award.