20 Under 40 - 1996 Profile: Nancy Barry

PRESSTIME

By Presstime Magazine

First Published: December 1996

Nancy Barry knows a lot about multitasking. As vice president of community services for The Dallas Morning News, she represents the paper in more than 20 associations serving greater Dallas.

In 1991, the day after the competing Dallas Times Herald closed its doors, Barry added 40 events to The Dallas Morning News' substantial schedule of community-service commitments. Working closely with colleagues at the Herald, Barry and her staff of seven fulfilled the News' pledge to support—without question—all community projects the Herald had agreed to aid.

"It was a major undertaking in terms of time and money, but it raised our profile even higher in the community," says Barry.

Despite her activist bent, the Texas native didn't plan a career in community service. A job at a local utility, teaching consumers how to conserve electricity, led to more public outreach programs.

Conservation remains a priority. The self-styled "recycling queen" of The Dallas Morning News is a founding member and past president of the Corporate Recycling Council, a group of businesses with active recycling programs, waste haulers, and vendors of recycled products. The council meets monthly to exchange information.

She lauds Jeremy L. Halbreich, Morning News president and general manager, and Publisher Burl Osborne for elevating the community-affairs position to the vice president level to give it the necessary clout. The Morning News this year directly supported and participated in more than 200 community service and educational programs, despite companywide budget cuts to adjust for rising newsprint costs.

"We want to serve as a strong example of community leadership for other local businesses," says Halbreich. "Nancy keeps the newspaper as well as the service organizations focused on their mission and goals."