Frank Batten

Frank Batten was the chairman and CEO of Landmark Communications Inc., a privately held media company based in Norfolk, Va. Batten stepped down on Jan. 1, 1998.

Batten was educated at Culver Military Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, the University of Virginia and Harvard Business School. He served in the merchant marine in World War II and later was an officer in the Navy Reserve.

Batten began his newspaper career as a newsroom copy boy and reporter during summer vacations. After college, he worked in the advertising and circulation departments of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star and became publisher of the newspapers in 1954. He became chairman of Landmark in 1967.

Batten was a director of The Associated Press from 1975 to 1987, vice chairman from 1977 to 1981 and chairman from 1982 to 1987. He was a director of the Newspaper Association of America; the first rector of Old Dominion University; vice chairman of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; and president of the board of The Norfolk Academy.

He was president and campaign chairman for the Norfolk area United Fund and served on the boards of the College of William and Mary, Hollins University, Culver Educational Foundation, Access College Foundation, The Darden School Foundation, Harvard Business School Publishing Company and the Mariners Museum.

Batten passed away in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and three children.