Soldwedel, Chairman of Western Chain, Dies

Posted Friday, February 22, 2008 12:00 am

By: An Illinois native who was the chairman and founder of an Arizona newspaper chain has died at 83.

Donald N. Soldwedel ran Yuma, Arizona-based Western Newspapers for more than five decades.

Soldwedel died earlier this week in Tucson, Arizona. His cause of death was not immediately released.

The native of Pekin (Illinois) turned the newspaper chain into a multimedia enterprise.

During his years as president of Western Newspapers, Soldwedel at one time owned entirely or in part dozens of newspapers throughout Arizona.

Under Soldwedel's tenure, the company also acquired a sign shop, five real estate magazines, three printing plants, a billboard company, two radio stations and 27 Web sites.

His son Joe Soldwedel says his father was a great father, leader and superb business man.

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Soldwedel, Chairman of Western Chain, Dies

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