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'{{short description|American businessman}} '''W. Don Cornwell''' (born January 17, 1948)<ref name="HistoryMakers">{{cite web|url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/don-cornwell |title=Don Cornwell |website=[[The History Makers]] |date=May 17, 2012 |accessdate=July 4, 2020}}</ref> is a retired investment banker and broadcast media executive. He was the founder, CEO, and Chairman of [[Granite Broadcasting]] from 1988 to his retirement in 2009. Prior to founding Granite Broadcasting, he was at [[Goldman Sachs]] for 17 years. He currently serves on the boards of [[Pfizer]], [[AIG]], and [[Natura & Co]] (formerly [[Avon Products|Avon]]). ==Early life and education== Cornwell was born in 1948 in [[Cushing, Oklahoma]].<ref name="HistoryMakers"/> He later moved with his family to [[Tacoma, Washington]], attending [[Stadium High School]].<ref name="HistoryMakers"/> He received a BA in political science from [[Occidental College]] in Los Angeles in 1969.<ref name="HistoryMakers"/> He received an MBA from [[Harvard University]] in 1971.<ref name="HistoryMakers"/><ref name="Black Enterprise Oct 1980">{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EdIDUjCI44IC&pg=PA45 |title=Hot Shots on Wall Street |first=Dennis A. |last=Williams |work=[[Black Enterprise]] |pages=45-47 |date=October 1980}}</ref> ==Career== After receiving his MBA in 1971, Cornwell worked on Wall Street at [[Goldman Sachs]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Gregory S. |title=In the Black: A History of African Americans on Wall Street |date=2002 |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |page=145 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u0ZjUFT5AfQC&pg=PA145}}</ref><ref name="Black Enterprise Oct 1980"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Under 30 & Moving Up |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbY2tlPkH-8C&pg=PA18 |work=[[Black Enterprise]] |date=August 1975 |page=18}}</ref> Cornwell founded [[Granite Broadcasting]] in 1988 with the purchase of stations in Duluth and Peoria, and it developed from an entrepreneurial idea into a diverse station group which operates and provides services to 23 channels in 9 markets, reaching more than six percent of U.S. television households. The Company owns or manages affiliates of NBC (4), ABC (3), CBS (3), one major market My Network TV (MNTV) affiliate and one major marketindependent station. In many markets, Granite broadcasts additional programming content including MNTV, The CW Network (CW), Spanish language programming such as TvAzteca and LATV, and 24/7 local news over the digital spectrum of its stations. Granite grew through operating performance and the acquisition of more than 15 television stations to become, at one time, one of the 25 largest television station groups as measured by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine and the largest television broadcast company in America controlled by an African American. Black Enterprise Magazine named Granite as its Company of the Year in 1995. From 1991 through 2006, Granite was publicly owned with common stock listed on NASDAQ and several issues of debt registered with the SEC. Granite declared bankruptcy in December 2006 in order to restructure its balance sheet and had its plan of reorganization approved by the court in June 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bingham.com/Media.aspx?MediaID=5439|title=Granite Broadcasting: "Loan to Own" Alive and Well|date=2007-08-09|website=Bingham}}</ref> Following the restructuring which included a severe period of recession beginning in 2007, Granite achieved significant reductions in station and corporate cost structure with widespread use of technology and innovative changes in business practices and business model. In August 2009, Cornwell retired as Chairman and CEO of Granite,<ref name="Cornwell And Deushane Stepping Down">{{cite news |last1=Tanklefsky |first1=David |title=Cornwell And Deushane Stepping Down At Granite Broadcasting |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/cornwell-and-deushane-stepping-down-granite-broadcasting-41853 |accessdate=July 7, 2020 |work=Next TV |date=August 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Cornwell steps down">{{cite news |last1=Bachman |first1=Katy |title=Granite founder Cornwell steps down |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/granite-founder-cornwell-steps-87560 |accessdate=July 7, 2020 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=August 11, 2009}}</ref> staying on as Vice Chairman through December 2009.<ref name="Reuters">{{cite web |title=Cornwell, Wyllie Don |url=https://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officer-profile/AIG.N/1585723 |website=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=July 7, 2020}}</ref> As of 2020, Cornwell is on the boards of directors of [[Pfizer]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/board-of-directors |title=Board member |website=[[Pfizer]] |accessdate=July 6, 2020}}</ref> [[AIG]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aig.com/about-us/corporategovernance/board-of-directors |title=Board of Directors |website=[[AIG]] |accessdate=July 6, 2020}}</ref> and [[Natura & Co]] (formerly [[Avon Products|Avon]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.marketscreener.com/AVON-PRODUCTS-11723/news/AVON-PRODUCTS-INC-Termination-of-a-Material-Definitive-Agreement-Completion-of-Acquisition-or-Dis-29792347/ |title=Avon Products Inc: Form 8-K |website=Market Screener |date=January 3, 2020| accessdate=July 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/BR/BVMF/NTCO3/company-people/executive-profile/13312 |title=Natura & Co. Holding S.A.: W. Don Cornwell |website=[[Wall Street Journal]] |accessdate=July 6, 2020}}</ref> He is also on the board of trustees of [[Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigsnyc.org/board-trustees |title=Board of Trustees |website=[[Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City]] |accessdate=July 6, 2020}}</ref> ==Personal life== Cornwell married New York attorney Saundra Clarke Williams in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saundra Williams Marries a Banker |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/15/style/saundra-williams-marries-a-banker.html |accessdate=July 7, 2020 |work=[[New York Times]] |date=May 15, 1983}}</ref> Saundra Cornwell was partner at the law firm Bower & Gardner from 1984 until it dissolved in 1994.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lat |first1=David |title=Lawyerly Lairs: A $16 Million Brooklyn Brownstone |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2014/04/lawyerly-lairs-a-16-million-brooklyn-brownstone/ |accessdate=July 7, 2020 |work=[[Above the Law (website)|Above the Law]] |date=April 17, 2014}}</ref> They live in New York City and have two adult children.<ref>{{cite web |title=Telecommunications Development Fund: Don Cornwell |url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/taxonomy/term/48489 |website=[[The History Makers]] |accessdate=July 7, 2020}}</ref> == References == <references/> == External links == {{American International Group}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cornwell, W. Don}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Occidental College alumni]] [[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]] [[Category:Pfizer people]] [[Category:American chairmen of corporations]] [[Category:American chief executives in the media industry]] [[Category:American International Group people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]'