Marie Holderman

Holderman was born in Brazil, Indiana near Terre Haute in west central Indiana. She was the eldest of four children and her father worked in a tile factory. She attended Indiana State University then married Chauncey Holderman on October 12, 1905. The couple moved to Bradenton on Florida's west coast, where he was general manager of the Bradenton Light & Power Company. In 1913 an injury to his spine left Chauncey as a wheelchair user.^[2] With her husband's physical limitations, she purchased the weekly Manatee Record and went to work.^[3]

After she saw an ad seeking a publisher for a local newspaper in Brevard County on Florida's east coast, she sold the Manatee and moved her daughter and husband to Cocoa, a fishing community of about 900 residents.^[1] Holderman founded the Cocoa Tribune in 1917 with a couple of employees. The publication grew as did the community. She was known as a savvy businesswoman whose newspaper swayed public opinion on issues including women’s suffrage, the opening of the Sebastian Inlet and xxxxx. She became one of the most influential publishers in Florida leading to her selection as president of the Florida Press Association in 1930.^[4] “She was a relentless voice urging community improvement, from roads to schools,” wrote historian Roy Laughlin in “Good to Hear from You Again,” a historical memoir of the Cocoa area.^[2] According to her obituary, Holderman was a member of the state's library board, a charter member of the Cocoa Women's League, a committeewoman for the Florida Democratic party and was named honorary Lieutenant Colonel of governor David Sholtz's staff in 1933.^[4]

Paul Miller became president and CEO of Gannett in 1957 when the group held 19 newspapers over four states; Florida not among them. He became frustrated after repeated unsuccessful attempts to acquire a foothold in Florida, then targeted Brevard County. He spoke to Marie Holderman and shared his plan for a morning daily paper in Brevard. Holderman wasn't interested. Over the next few years, several Gannett representatives attempted to negotiate a purchase, without success.^[5] In the late 1950s, Al Neuharth was assistant managing editor at the Miami Herald and became acquainted with Marie Holderman. In 1963 he was hired by Miller to manage the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York, Gannett's headquarters. He asked Miller for an opportunity to persuade Holderman. In their meeting, Neuharth complimented the Tribune, but told Holderman that she lacked the resources to win a competition. Holderman was invited to Rochester for a meeting to talk with Gannett executives. The Gannett corporate airplane flew four people from Florida to New York. John Pound, managing editor joined Holderman and her two granddaughters on the trip in May 1965. Convinced of Gannett's determination and at age 81, Holderman decided to sell, and Pound told the executives they wanted $1.9 million in compensation. Neuharth's response: "We told them that was a fair price and we certainly paid her more than she expected to get."^[5]