Arthur H. Motley*

Arthur Motley was born in Minneapolis to a Midwestern farm family in 1900. He worked on the family farm until age 13, when he began the M&G Company with his cousin. The company sold topsoil and manure to neighbors and collected ash at 10 cents per can.

Motley worked his way through college selling Fuller brushes, producing theatricals, working as a night watchman, and teaching English part time. In 1922, he graduated with honors and a Phi Beta Kappa key from the University of Minnesota. He attributed his academic success to the long, quiet hours afforded him while he worked as a night watchman.

After running a medicine show for the Smith Brothers Company, a cough-drop manufacturer, he joined the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company in 1928 as an advertising-space salesman and became manager of the Detroit office in 1935. In 1941, he was named publisher of American Magazine, and tripled its circulation within five years.

In 1946, Motley became president and publisher of Parade. In 1971, he was named chairman of the board. Motley also served as president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and as a director of Booth Newspapers, Inc., Starch/INRA/Hooper, Sequoia Insurance Company, Stevening Citrus, and Whitney Communications, Inc.