History
The oldest business in San Diego County and the second-oldest newspaper in Southern California, The San Diego Union-Tribune is a
merger of The San Diego Union, founded Oct. 10, 1868, near the Plaza in what is
now Old Town State Historic Park, and The Evening Tribune, founded Dec. 2, 1895,
near the Plaza in what is now downtown San Diego.
The two newspapers were merged into a morning newspaper Feb. 2, 1992. They had
been published by the same company morning and evening since 1901 by two
distinguished newspaper families -- the Spreckels family (until 1928) and the
Copley family (1928-present). John D. Spreckels, who purchased The Union in 1890,
was a pioneer developer (land, transit, buildings). Spreckels died in 1926, and
his estate sold the newspapers in 1928 to Ira Clifton Copley of Illinois (public
utilities, newspapers).
Ira Copley was owner-publisher until his death in 1947, when his son, James
Strohn Copley, took over following World War II Navy service. After his tragic
death from cancer in 1973, his widow, Helen K. Copley, became publisher.
Helen K. Copley retired in 2001 after nearly three decades as chairman of The Copley Press Inc. and publisher of The San Diego Union-Tribune.
She named her son, David C. Copley, to succeed her. David Copley, 49, has served since 1997 as president and chief executive officer of the company.
Helen Copley, 78, remains an active member of the board of directors and trustee of the family trusts that control the company stock. She holds the titles of chairman emeritus of The Copley Press and publisher emeritus of The San Diego Union-Tribune.
She remains chairman of the James S. Copley Foundation, which finances a number of educational and charitable endeavors.
The two newspapers have won numerous awards and prizes over the years, including
two Pulitzer Prizes (Evening Tribune, 1979, for general reporting, and Evening
Tribune, 1987, for editorial writing).
The Union-Tribune is published from a state-of-the-art editorial, printing and
business plant in San Diego's Mission Valley, only a few miles from its founding
location in Old Town. Regional offices are located throughout San Diego County.
Adapted from A Faithful Mirror: The Story of The San Diego Union, by
Alfred JaCoby.
Our Mission Statement
Copley Press Inc.
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