{{Short description|American businessman}} '''Erwin Potts''' (April 20, 1932 – May 18, 2017) was the first non-McClatchy family member CEO of the McClatchy Company from 1989 to 1996.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/nov03/potts112103.html|title=McClatchy gives $40,000 to Carolina for scholarship honoring Potts, former CEO|last=Covert|first=Juanita|date=November 21, 2003|publisher=University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|accessdate=May 20, 2017}}</ref>
== Early life == Potts was born in Pineville, North Carolina, attended Mars Hill College and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
== Career == Between 1958 and 1970, he was a reporter, city editor and assistant manager at the ''Miami Herald''. He was the general manager of the Tallahassee Democrat, ''The Charlotte Observer'' and ''The Charlotte News''.<ref name="autogenerated1" />
In 1989, he became president of McClatchy and in 1996, became CEO. He was chairman when he retired in 2001.<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=287995&privcapId=3711165&previousCapId=3711165&previousTitle=McClatchy%20Newspapers,%20Inc|title=Erwin Potts: Executive Profile & Biography|website=Bloomberg|accessdate=March 5, 2012}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
== Death == Potts died due to complications from an accident sustained at his home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on May 18, 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article151729342.html|title=Erwin Potts, former Observer GM and McClatchy Co. chairman, dies at 85|last=Locke|first=Cathy|date=May 20, 2017|work=The Charlotte Observer|access-date=May 20, 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/obituaries/article151451657.html|title=Erwin Potts, former journalist and chairman of McClatchy Co., dies at 85|last=Locke|first=Cathy|date=May 18, 2017|work=The Sacramento Bee|access-date=May 20, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-bus}} {{succession box | before=Charles K. McClatchy | title=McClatchy CEO | years=1989–1996 | after=Gary B. Pruitt }} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Potts, Ernie}} Category:1932 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Mars Hill University alumni Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:McClatchy people Category:People from Pineville, North Carolina Category:People from Cabo San Lucas