Cathy Culler Hughes is retiring after 50 years with The Times and Democrat, 23 of the years as the newspaper’s publisher.
Hughes’ retirement from her positions as group publisher with Lee Enterprises and publisher of The T&D will take effect on May 1, the same date she became T&D publisher in 1999. She will become publisher emeritus of The Times and Democrat.
“I have been so fortunate to have had a career I loved and that I am convinced is important to a community,” Hughes said. “Objective, quality journalism is vital, and I am proud of the work The Times and Democrat is doing. The entire team here is exceptional and dedicated to producing the best product every day.
“I have long viewed my time at The Times and Democrat not just as a career, but a mission: to help provide the information necessary for a community to make well-informed decisions and to provide the advertising products for businesses to best connect with their customers.”
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The lifelong North resident has been on the cutting edge of moving The T&D through transitions in printing and computerization, and into full-service digital. And, in her role as group publisher, 15 of Lee’s 77 enterprises from 13 states report to Hughes in Orangeburg. The enterprises include the Morning News of Florence, which is now printed daily on The T&D press.
“My focus, for the last few years, has been more in advertising, almost exclusively because we don’t just advertise to The T&D Region market -- Orangeburg, Bamberg, Calhoun counties -- we sell advertising to appear anywhere a business wants to reach,” she said in January in marking her 50th anniversary at the newspaper.
The T&D has established a 140-year-old brand as a newspaper among locals, but now, the newspaper is “just one part of what we do,” Hughes said. “We are a full-service, digital company that prints a well-known, long-standing newspaper.”
Her T&D career has included positions as assistant to the publisher, advertising director, general manager and one of only five publishers in the newspaper’s history.
Over her 50 years, Hughes can boast of The T&D never having missed producing the newspaper every publication day and of being part of ownership changes in the early ‘80s and in 2002, when Lee Enterprises acquired The Times and Democrat.
She has been involved in significant events in the newspaper’s and community’s history:
- 1972 -- T&D building destroyed by fire.
- 1973 -- Record snowstorm.
- 1982 -- The T&D’s 100th anniversary.
- 1989 -- Hurricane Hugo.
- 2004 -- 300th anniversary of the Orangeburgh District.
- 2006 -- The T&D’s 125th birthday.
- 2007 -- U.S. presidential debate.
- 2021 -- The T&D’s 140th birthday.
Hughes has been a leader in the newspaper business and community. She served as president of the South Carolina Press Association and was charter president of the Orangeburg Rotary Club-Morning. She has served as chair of the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce board, the Regional Medical Center Foundation board and the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College foundation board. She was a founding member of the Orangeburg County Community of Character and the Orangeburg Touchdown Club.
Hughes received the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2017. It is South Carolina’s highest civilian award for significant contributions, leadership, volunteerism and lifelong influence within a region or community.
Hughes said she looks forward to the freedom retirement will bring to allow more time for family and friends, her Jack Russell Terrier, yard work, unknown adventures and enjoying time when the phone does not ring 24-7 for newspaper matters. “And I’d like to complete the list of 100 best books of all time,” she says.
What people are saying
T&D Operations Manager Georgianne Walton: "I have worked with Cathy for over 45 years. She is a great leader, and we are all going to miss her so much. No matter how hard it gets, she always makes good, sound decisions. We have been through a lot of changes together, and it has been a pleasure working with her. She always has the best interest of the newspaper and employees in her heart."
T&D Circulation Manager Barbara West-Ravenell: West-Ravenell described Hughes as an excellent salesperson, friend and community pillar who she has respected over the years and will miss.
"I have the highest respect for her. The fairness and dignity that she shows allowed me to take chances and grow as an employee. I tried to model the way I approach my job by the way she handles her responsibilities," she said.
West-Ravenell continued, "I always felt that she cared about her employees and tried to make sure that everyone was successful at what they do. Throughout the years, I have watched how Cathy has held things together even when things were not going good elsewhere. Now, as a manager, I can appreciate having someone close to me that I watched and learned from."
T&D Press Foreman Russell O'Cain: O'Cain, who will have worked at the newspaper 43 years in June, said, "When she became the publisher after Dean Livingston, we weren't sure how we would take it. But with her being a boss, she is fantastic. I mean, she's never done the press crew wrong," O'Cain said, and did not micromanage his department.
"We've gone through hurricanes, ice storms, fire and all that stuff, and we've always got it out. I didn't want it not to happen on my ship when I was here, and she didn't want that to happen. She wanted to continue to print every day, but she's always been fantastic," he said.
O'Cain continued, "She's always done her best to keep printing in-house here. I really appreciate it because if you've been here long enough, it's not just a job. You've got to have a love for what you do, and I do. I love printing, and all love all the people around the building that I work with, and she's one of them. She will be missed by me, for sure."
T&D Packaging Foreman Harriett Hills: "Over the years, it has just been a good learning experience for me working with Cathy. I've just in the background have learned a lot from her. She just put me in a position and allowed me to grow into that position. She had faith in me. She didn't crowd me, but she set high standards, and I was always trying to do whatever she needed me to go and try to do it to the best of my ability," Hills said.
"We're all going to miss her. Right now it's just hard wrapping my head around her not being here. It's like, 'Is it for real?' She's all that I know as far as The Times and Democrat newspaper, and I'm going to miss all that she's provided for us," she said.
T&D Editor Lee Harter: Harter has been at The T&D for 44 years, 41 of them as editor. “Cathy Hughes has been a dynamic leader at The Times and Democrat, in the newspaper business in South Carolina and with Lee Enterprises. She is known for innovative ideas that become missions to which she is committed. The result is and has been great success,” Harter said.
“She leaves behind a newspaper that is vastly different than when she began 50 years ago. And she is greatly responsible for many of the innovations we have seen during her 23 years as publisher.”
Florence Morning News President Matt Tranquill: "Cathy is one of the best leaders that I have had the pleasure of working with. She was able to adapt and learn better than anyone I have had the pleasure to work with in this ever-changing industry. She is truly a pioneer that loves local news and her community," Tranquill said. "She is direct, but fair. She sees the big picture, but is laser focused. She is truly one of a kind. There will never be someone that can fill the void she leaves in the business."
Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr.: "I would like to say congratulations to Cathy. I think that the newspaper has done an excellent job in keeping the community and county informed on a lot of the issues that we have encountered, and also some of the challenges. … I think they have done the job of trying to be as fair as possible in making that happen. So I wish her well in her retirement life," Wright said. "She has given back to the community a lot in other contributions."
Orangeburg Mayor Michael C. Butler: "The City of Orangeburg appreciates her commitment and dedication to The T&D and keeping us abreast of current events and current news. The city wishes her well in her retirement, and may God continue to bless her in the future."
Piggly Wiggly Chief Operating Officer Chuck Fogle: "Wow. Good for her. I don't know where to begin. She's such an asset to the community, and she's always been there for The Times and Democrat and the community. I feel like she loves Orangeburg County. It shows in what she does and what she has done for the newspaper and the leadership she's shown. We sure will miss her. I wish her the best of luck."
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College President Walt Tobin: "Congratulations to Cathy on 50 years of outstanding service at The T&D! She is a shining example of a person who has made a personal and professional commitment to the Orangeburg community. Her leadership at the paper reflects the T&D’s pursuit of accurate reporting, but always with an attempt to show what’s good about Orangeburg.
"I am particularly thankful for her work as chair and as a member of OCtech’s foundation. Her time, effort and support resulted in the significant growth of our foundation during her tenure. I’m proud to have worked beside her during my time as president of OCtech."
Retired South Carolina Press Association Executive Director Bill Rogers: "Oh my goodness. She's an example of a local girl making good and staying with it. She's an institution in South Carolina as a publisher. She started out at The Times and Democrat and ended there. You don't find that much. She's been a great leader, replacing a legend in Dean Livingston. She's just an amazing leader of the newspaper industry," Rogers said. “I'm very happy for her. Times have changed, and she's stayed the course.”
S.C. State Head Football Coach Emeritus Willie Jeffries: Jeffries described Hughes as a "very good friend" of his and his wife, Mary.
"It has been wonderful working with Cathy in so many things that have happened in Orangeburg. We had the initial meeting to start The Touchdown Club. She supported it, and she still supports it. She has been an avid supporter of South Carolina State not only of our athletics, but the entire university," Jeffries said.
"I was so happy when she was named publisher. I knew Dean Livingston so well, and I was just hoping that Cathy would become publisher, and she did. She did a great job for The Times and Democrat, the paper that we all depend on, and also the other papers that she has to see over," he said.
"She and her husband, Randy, can just settle down. She can help Randy with his horses, but I'll say with his mules," Jeffries said, jokingly.
S.C. State Head Football Coach Buddy Pough: "Cathy is, first of all, a friend. We've had many great conversations about all the different kinds of stuff that goes on not only here in our community, but all over the world. I first respect her as a professional. She knows what she's doing, and she's got a great take on things," Pough said.
"She's fair and honest. She beat us up from time to time, but, at the same time, it was one of those deals where we probably deserved it and might have gotten worse from somebody else," he said.
Pough continued, "I've appreciated her for a whole lot of stuff for a long time. I wish her the best in her retirement. Hopefully she's better at it than I've been. I'm still trying to work, and I don't seem to want to even think about trying to go home. At the same time, I'm happy for her and Randy. I'm sure she'll do a wonderful job on that side doing whatever else she does next."