JOHN F. WOLFE IS SUMMER COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

   COLUMBUS -- John F. Wolfe, Dispatch Printing Co. chairman and CEO and publisher of The Columbus Dispatch, will deliver the commencement address during The Ohio State University’s summer ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 2.

   Approximately 1,400 graduates will receive degrees during the ceremony, to be held in St. John Arena. Commencement begins at 9:30 a.m.

   Wolfe, chairman of Wolfe Associates Inc. and Wolfe Enterprises Inc., also serves as chairman of the boards of WBNS- TV Inc., the CBS affiliate in Columbus; VideoIndiana, the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis; Agricultural Lands Inc.; and RadiOhio Inc.

   A native of Columbus, Wolfe graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1965 with a B.S. degree in commerce. He returned to Columbus and immediately began his career with The Dispatch Printing Co. He was named vice president of the company in 1969 and became the president in 1973, serving in that capacity until this year. In 1975, he was named publisher of The Columbus Dispatch, and, in 1994, he also was named chairman of The Dispatch Printing Co.

   Long involved with local civic and philanthropic organizations, Wolfe currently is a trustee of the Franklin County Board of Parks and Recreation, which oversees the Columbus Clippers baseball team, and is a trustee of the COSI Building Development and Financial Resources Corp., which is implementing the Center of Science and Industry’s move to a new downtown Columbus riverfront location. He has served 12 years on the board of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, and chaired Ameriflora 1992. Past affiliations include membership on the boards of Franklin University, Columbus Academy, Columbus School for Girls, National City Bank Corp. and BancOhio National Bank.

   Wolfe is an active advocate for Ohio State, serving on the National Campaign Executive Committee and as co-chair of the “Affirm Thy Friendship” Campaign. He is a member of the Ohio State University Foundation Board of Directors and a trustee of the Wexner Center Foundation. In 1997, he and his wife, Ann, were honorary co-chairs of the annual Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute’s “Up on the Roof” fund-raiser.

   Among his many honors are the 1980 chairmanship of the National Alliance of Businessmen, a 1981 Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, 1987 induction into the American Academy of Achievement and the 1993 Chamber of Commerce Columbus Award.

Contact: Karissa L. Shivley, University Relations, (614) 292-8295