CHICAGO — Edward M. Lee, a noted media professional in the baking industry, died at age 77.
Lee’s career began at the Chicago Tribune as a business writer and columnist. He later became director of communications for the Chicago Board of Trade.
He entered the baking industry in 1982 upon joining Gorman Publishing Co. as editor of Bakery Production & Marketing magazine. He also served as editorial director for Gorman, which published a variety of food industry-related magazines and newsletters.
In 1987, he became the founding editor and co-owner of Modern Baking magazine and later of Baking Management magazine, both published by Donohue-Meehan Publishing Co. After Lee and his partners sold the company to Penton Media in 1998, he joined Penton and served as publisher of Modern Baking until his retirement in 2004.
During his journalism career in the baking industry, Lee served on industry advisory boards for the Retail Bakers of America (RBA) and the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association. He frequently spoke on bakery trends and business issues at industry events for the American Society of Baking (ASB), Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers Association, RBA, National Association of Flour Distributors (NAFD), Food Marketing Institute and National Restaurant Association.
Among the awards Lee received are the American Business Media Jesse H. Neal Award for Editorial Excellence for a series of articles on how bakery operators can improve profitability and first place in feature writing from the American Society of Business Publications Editors for a series about how consumer attitudes and tastes for bakery foods were changing and how bakery operators could capitalize on them.
Lee was inducted into the 2012 Emeritus Members Class of RBA, which honors individuals who influenced the association and the baking industry.
Lee’s son, Ed C. Lee, is a salesman at Hermitage, PA-based Joy Baking Group and is active with The Bakers Courtesy Club of Chicago, ASB, NAFD, and the Baking Industry Foundation.
Services will be held Friday, Aug. 26 at United Lutheran Church 409 Greenfield St, Oak Park, IL 60302.
