Jonathan Friendly

Written By J Scott Christianson

Chair of the Board

Jonathan Friendly was born in 1939 and raised in Washington, DC, the second son of Pulitzer Prize-winner Alfred Friendly of The Washington Post. He graduated from Amherst College (B.A., English) in 1960 and worked as a reporter and editor at the Raleigh News and Observer, Minneapolis Tribune and The New York Times.

In 1988, Jonathan became director of the Masters Journalism Program at the University of Michigan, serving until 1996. Subsequently he worked for the Detroit Jewish News and Jewish Renaissance Media until his retirement in 2005.

In addition to being chair of the board of the Alfred and Jean Friendly Foundation in Washington, he served for eight years on the board of the Lake Charlevoix Association, which seeks to protect the lake from environmental degradation.

He and Lynn, his wife of 48 years, have four children. They live in Bradenton, FL, and Charlevoix, MI. He is a tennis and bridge player and enjoys opera and other classical music.

J Scott Christianson

J. Scott Christianson, better known as "Prof C," spent nearly two decades at the University of Missouri–Columbia. He served as Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is now Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus. Today he works as a speaker, writer, and advisor, helping companies, conferences, universities, and nonprofits make practical sense of emerging technologies. His focus is turning complex topics like AI, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and entrepreneurial strategy into clear, actionable insights. Speaking topics include innovation and entrepreneurship, AI and the future of work, tech ethics and deepfakes, and AI agents and workplace transformation. His international engagements range from international economic summits to chambers of commerce, professional societies, and university partners abroad. Prof C is a recipient of numerous teaching awards and the author of books, magazine pieces, and peer-reviewed journal articles. He is also a frequent guest on radio shows and podcasts and is regularly interviewed in the media.

https://christiansonjs.com
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