Elven Grubbs’ newspaper career spanned 40 years from his job as a pressman with the Ocala Star Banner in 1947 until his retirement in February 1992 as publisher of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
In Ocala, Grubbs advanced from the pressroom to the business side, displaying keen foresight while serving as classified ad manager, retail advertising director and general manager at the Star Banner, a New York Times Company newspaper.
In 1977, he was named publisher of The Ledger in Lakeland, Florida, also a NYT Co. newspaper. In 1984, The NYT Co. named Grubbs publisher of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1992.
A native of Perry, Florida, Grubbs had the ability to combine country-boy charm with shrewd business sense.
His down-to-earth common-sense, fair-minded approach to issues, and compassion for people won him respect and admiration from the communities he served.
