Warren Lerude Papers

Warren Leslie Lerude was born October 29, 1937 in Reno, Nevada. In 1955, Lerude began his pursuit of journalism as a 17-year-old freshman in the University of Nevada’s Department of Journalism. Upon graduation in 1961, Lerude began work as a reporter, editor, and correspondent for the Associate Press (AP). In 1963, Lerude began his long career with Speidel Newspapers, Inc./Gannett Company, where he served as reporter, editor, publisher, and eventually president of Reno Newspapers Inc. and publisher of the Reno Evening Gazette and the Nevada State Journal. His second career as a university professor began in 1981 when he began teaching at his alma mater in the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism, a position he held until he retired in 2009 at which time he was named emeritus professor.

During his time with Gannett, Lerude, along with Norman F. Cardoza of the Reno Evening Gazette and Foster Church of the Nevada State Journal, wrote a series of editorials covering the career of Joe Conforte, notorious owner of the Mustang Ranch Brothel. This editorial series earned Lerude, Cardoza, and Church the distinct honor of the 1977 Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing. Lerude also had a long standing relationship with the Pulitzer Prize, serving as a juror on seven occasions: 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1993, and 1994.

Outside of teaching and journalism, Lerude has also served as a consultant and is a published author. Lerude has worked with newspapers and organizations such as the USA Today, The Oakland Tribune, and NBC News, and has served as a board member of Innovation International Media Group. Lerude is also the author of three books. The first, American Commander in Spain, was coauthored by Marion Stone Merriman Wachtel and details the life of Robert Hale Merriman, an American who fought in the Spanish Civil War as commander of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. The second book, Robert Laxalt: The Story of a Storyteller, was written in honor of Lerude’s close friend, Robert Laxalt, renowned Nevada author. Finally, Lerude authored the text portion of Robert W. Cameron’s celebrated book, Above Tahoe and Reno, a book of aerial landscape photography.

Lerude has been exceptionally active with the University of Nevada, Reno and its Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism over the years. Lerude and Reno newspaper colleague Rollan Melton approached former University President Joe Crowley with a proposal to reestablish the existing College of Arts and Sciences journalism department with a full and independent school of journalism with its own dean. Crowley agreed, and he and Lerude proposed the concept to Donald W. Reynolds, owner of the DonRey media organization and its senior executive Fred Smith, which led to major Reynolds Foundation funding over several years for the development of the school that was supported by alumni and friends of the school. In addition to his work in establishing the Reynolds School of Journalism, Lerude also regularly taught courses and served as the coordinator of the professional internship program; acted as the founding chairman of the Professional Advisory Board for the Reynolds School of Journalism; is a major donor to the Reynolds School of Journalism; served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee for the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation; and is an emeritus member of the Dean’s Council of the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism.

Lerude has also received many awards and achievements both within the University of Nevada, Reno, in journalism, and in the community. He is a member of Kappa Tau Alpha journalism honor society, past president of the Nevada Professional Chapter for Sigma Delta Chi (a professional journalist’s society), and recipient of the Legion of Honor from the Delta Xi Chapter of the Sigma Nu Fraternity at UNR. He has been a director of the Reno Chamber of Commerce and former director of the United Way of Northern Nevada. Lerude was an Inaugural Editorial Board Member of USA Today, past president of the Nevada State Press Association and was named to the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1998. He is a recipient of the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter’s Frank McCulloch Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

Lerude is married to Janet (Lagomarsino) and they have three children: Eric, Christopher, and Leslie.

Warren Leslie Lerude was born in Reno, Nevada. He graduated from the University of Nevada School of Journalism in 1961 and began a career in journalism and teaching that spanned over 50 years.