KNOXVILLE — Alan N. Greenberg, former publisher of Esquire magazine and creator of many successful online and traditional media and interactive business services, was honored with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Communication and Information’s (CCI) 2010 Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award.
The award was presented at a CCI alumni reception in Atlanta.
“Alan Greenberg has had a remarkable career as a media business person and entrepreneur,” said CCI Dean Mike Wirth. “He has set an outstanding example for our students about what’s possible as they graduate and become working professionals. Mr. Greenberg’s latest innovative venture, focused on private K-12 education, is indicative of his innovative ability to take a concept from the idea stage and make it a reality.”
Greenberg graduated from UT Knoxville in 1972 from the College of Communications with a degree in advertising.
Greenberg began his distinguished career by working in sales management at Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. From his role as publisher for the nationally recognized Esquire magazine to his vice chairmanship at Whittle Communications, where he launched a dozen publishing and broadcast ventures, Greenberg has been involved in launching numerous new media businesses and organizing strategic mergers, acquisitions and private equity funding.
In 1997 he launched Greenberg News Network and developed Medcast, an Internet medical information service, which he sold to Healtheon/WebMD Corp. in 1999 for $215 million.
Greenberg also has launched and expanded media businesses in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Among those was the creation of Travel Holdings Inc., a global interactive travel services firm, which currently does business in 13 languages and 100 countries. Greenberg served as CEO at Travel Holdings until 2008, when he decided to team up with his former business partner Chris Whittle and Benno Schmidt, the former president of Yale University, to establish Avenues, a global education company. Greenberg serves as president of Avenues, which will build the first worldwide system of high quality, private K-12 schools. The first of these schools will be built in New York City.
The Donald G. Hileman Award is named for the first permanent dean of the College of Communications, the forerunner to the College of Communication and Information. The award was established in 1994 in celebration of the college’s 25th anniversary. It is awarded to college alumni who have made notable contributions to the field of communication and information. Past recipients include two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and noted science writer for the New York Times, John Noble Wilford, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
—
C O N T A C T :
Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)