John C. Sherwood curriculum vitae
as of 16 Dec 2011


MISSION:
To provide professional business communications
and challenging, uplifting entertainment
for all ages and occasions.



John Sherwood's BIBLIOGRAPHY

Professional web-site address: MysteryVisits.com
Personal website address: Introduction


JOHN CLAYTON SHERWOOD, M.A.

Home/MysteryVisits.com: (610) 742-6735
ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 125, Union City, MI 49094-0125


WORK EXPERIENCE
BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER, Battle Creek, MI -- From 8-11 to present: Business, non-profits and general assignment reporter for Battle Creek, MI-area metropolitan daily newspaper. Duties include daily discussions with managers, other reporters and editors. Regular use of Saxotech content-management system used on Macintosh operating system.
THE TIMES HERALD, Port Huron, MI -- From 4-10 to 4-11: Assistant city editor, responsible for story generation, editing, reporting and content accuracy for Port Huron, MI-area metropolitan daily newspaper. Duties include daily discussions with managers, reporters and editors. Regular use of Saxotech systems, Falcon Editorial and Microsoft Outlook software on Microsoft Windows XP operating system.
THE NEWS JOURNAL CO, New Castle, DE -- From 8-99 to 7-09: Responsible for copy editing, headline and cutline writing, proofing, page flow and content accuracy for Wilmington, DE-area metropolitan daily newspaper. Duties included daily discussions with managers, reporters and designers. Editor of weekly TV section, February 2001 to November 2008. Beginning in 2003, responsible for preparation of daily online articles and direct editing of online product at delawareonline.com, using XTQ, Publicus and Saxotech systems. Experienced with Quark CopyDesk, Digital Collection archiving and QuarkXPress pagination, on Macintosh hardware using MacOS 9 and X.
BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER, Battle Creek, MI -- From 8-74 to 7-99: Reporter, weekend/copy/wire/regional editor, editorial writer and correspondent for Battle Creek, MI-area metropolitan daily newspaper. Opinion Page editor from 5-90 to 7-99. Specialty in Macintosh use and graphics, using Macintosh as well as Windows 95 systems, running QuarkXPress. Newsroom library supervisor 1995-99, with oversight of installation of Digital Collections electronic archiving system in 1998. Contact person for Gannett Foundation grant applications since January 1997. Participant in newsroom conversion to a morning newspaper during 1998. Completion of 12 modules of Zenger-Miller Frontline Leadership program for managers, through 1998. Frequent reviewer of films and amateur, academic and professional theater. Supervised production of Election '86 insert, 1993 Black History publication, 1997 United Way publication and 1997 Progress edition. In 1986, with management support, was one of 1,703 applicants for NASA's Journalist-in-Space program. Began work for then-ENQUIRER & NEWS during consecutive summers, 1969-70-71, then as full-time news reporter, assistant regional editor, regional editor, assistant to editorial-page editor. Correspondent from Albion 9-71 to 12-71 while employed part-time as managing editor/columnist for Albion College's student newspaper, The Pleiad. From 1-73 TO 8-73, was Enquirer's reporter of governmental, hospital and cultural news, and arts reviewer.
WILLIAM R. BIGGS ASSOCIATES INC., Kalamazoo, MI -- From 8-73 to 3-74, news director, copy writer for marketing/advertising agency. Duties included editing Gerber pediatrics periodical.
JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT, Jackson, MI -- From 5-72 to 12-72, served as reporter, copy editor and arts reviewer.
MARSHALL EVENING CHRONICLE, Marshall, MI -- From 6-67 to 7-68, full- and part-time as news reporter, copy editor, darkroom assistant, plate engraver.

WORK ADDENDA
Operate in home office a Macintosh G4 System X using ClarisWorks and MacBook laptop System X ... Word-processing typing speed 90-100 wpm. ... Operate Canon (digital) and Nikon (35mm); several photo sales in magazine/newspaper markets. ... Trained in QuarkXPress, MacOS, Windows 95, Harris and Atex VDT news-editing and pagination systems; also Macintosh Plus, creating graphics using MacDraw, MacDraw II, Microsoft Chart and MacPaint software. ... In May 1987 attended Michigan Press Association newspaper-design workshop ... July '88 attended two-week graphics workshop sponsored by Gannett Graphics Network at Gannett Inc., Arlington, Va.
Published interviews with: "prophetess" Jeanne Dixon; writers Harlan Ellison, Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm; entertainers James Doohan, Leonard Nimoy, Harry Blackstone Jr., Kreskin , Teller; scientist J. Allen Hynek, astronaut James Lovell; journalist Bill Moyers; Michigan governors William Milliken, James Blanchard and John Engler; U.S. senators Robert Dole, Donald Riegle, Carl Levin and Spencer Abraham; U.S. representatives Howard Wolpe, Fred Upton and Nick Smith
As opinion page editor, responsible for all political candidate interviews and preparation of their position statements for editorial board.
Family and professional web-site address: http://www.MysteryVisits.com

EDUCATION
May 1991: M.A., Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, professional writing program, grade average of A (4.0). ... '88 recipient, Berniece Carlson Award for academic excellence among English majors.
May 1972: A.B. cum laude, Albion College, Albion, MI. Majors: English; Speech Communication and Theater. Overall grade-point average (4.0 = A): 3.416. ... 1968-72, Presidential Recognition Award recipient.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
Michigan Press Association -- first-place award for editorial writing, October '98; third-place award for editorial page, '92 Better Newspaper Contest
Michigan Associated Press Editorial Association -- second-place award for editorial writing, May '99; first-place award for editorial writing, May '98; first-place award for editorial writing, October '97; second-place award for editorial page, October '97; third-place award for public service for participation in "Better Together" project at the Battle Creek Enquirer, May '97
Gannett Well Done Runner-up Awards for commentary in '92 and for reader involvement in '97
"Do It Right" monthly staff honoree, April '97 and June '92
"Good Job Award" recipient six times, twice for supervising annual Progress report, '75-89.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Frequent volunteer and advisory work with regional Rotary clubs, Masonic organizations and literary/library groups in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, 1999 to present.
Historical Society of Battle Creek -- board member, October '96 to July '99.
Junior Achievement of South Central Michigan -- Rookie Secondary Consultant of the Year, '94-95; classroom volunteer, '73 (Jackson) and '94-95 and '97-98 (Battle Creek).
Frequent participation in United Way of Greater Battle Creek, Walk for Warmth, WalkAmerica and Food Bank of South Central Michigan events through '98.
Marshall Civic Players -- board member, '74 to '77. Frequent stage actor and historical consultant up to July '99.
Battle Creek Civic Theater -- board member, October '93 to June '96. Frequent stage actor through '96.
Consultant/script advisor to Cereal City USA project, Battle Creek, '97.
Moderator, Great Lakes Free-Net subconferences and media consultant/script advisor to GLFN director, Battle Creek,'95 to July '99.
United Arts Council of Calhoun County -- fund-raising volunteer through '99 and advisor to VisionQuest 5000 project, '91.

BACKGROUND
Launched self-published neighborhood newspaper at age 9, selling subscriptions during summers '59-62; newspaper carrier for Enquirer & News, '62-66. ... Began writing intently '65; non-fiction book accepted/published '66; frequent contributor to Enquirer & News Youth Today page '66-68 ...
Lived/traveled as freelance writer in Great Britain '74, returned there to pursue other work '77 and '85; extensive travel in continental U.S./Canada. ...
Active in theater as actor/producer/writer; 12 original plays staged in several communities. Former Marshall Civic Players treasurer and VP; involved in civic theaters in Albion, Jackson and Marshall, MI, in academic theater in Battle Creek and Albion and in professional, self-produced productions. ...
Stage magician since '62; member, Society of American Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians; graduate, Chavez College of Magic '81. ...
Regularly create and host original "Sherlock Holmes Mystery Weekends" at The Victorian Villa Inn, Union City, MI ...
Other interests: creative writing, the arts and sciences, Shavian literature and criticism, history, old coins and books.

* Complete bibiography *

PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Mothman, Saucers and M.I.B.: Gray Barker's Book of Bunk," Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 26, No. 3, May/June '02.
"Gray Barker: My Friend, the Myth-Maker," Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 22, No. 3, May/June '98.
Sherlock Holmes Mystery Weekends and Dinners, 12 original formats created for The Victorian Villa Inn, '87 to present.
"Jeeves and the Nasty Business," full-length play script, performed at The Victorian Villa Inn, 1995 and 1996.
"The Mysteries of Houdini," full-length play script, performed at The Victorian Villa Inn, 1995 and 1996; Marshall Civic Center, 1998
"One Flame in the Inferno: Marshall's Crosswhite Case," Michigan History, March-April '89
"A Better Way to Deliver Babies," Lady's Circle, 8-'81
"Lost in the Forest," monthly column in The New Tops, Abbott's Magic Co., '80-92
"Ann J. Kellogg School -- 1980: A Rededication," booklet issued by Battle Creek Public Schools, '79
"People Helping People," slide presentation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, '79
"Elderhostel: Using Empty Classrooms," in Profiles, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Fall '79
"I'll Invest My Money in People -- W.K. Kellogg," biography issued by W.K. Kellogg Foundation, '79, reprinted in "W.K. Kellogg Foundation -- The First Half Century 1930-1980" and as Battle Creek Enquirer insert; since reissued
<


Click on the masks to go to John's THEATER RESUME.



Click on HOME to go to the MAIN PAGE.
Hosting by WebRing.