Charlie Brumback came to The Chicago Tribune in 1981 with a challenge: To turn a grandly respected but underperforming institution into a national leader -- both in content and in financial return. Charlie does relish a challenge. Under his direction, the 1980s saw revenue enhancement schemes (the idea of "Brumbucks," left, as a sales-force motivator was imported from Orlando), strict budget controls and technological advancements such as the state-of-the-art Freedom Center production facility.

By 1989, The Chicago Tribune was posting double-digit revenue and profit growth annually while winning armloads of awards for editorial excellence, including seven Pulitzer Prizes. In 1985, Charlie cut the ribbon on what was affectionately known as the "Freedom Stairway," which symbolically broke down the barriers among the news, business and advertising departments by linking the 2d, 3d and 4th floors of Tribune Tower.