Inducted in 2025
Media Executive
Founder, FP Civics Initiative
Veteran

Along the Long Maroon Line, there are men whose unswerving integrity and principled vision have made them leaders in nearly every field of human endeavor. Among these “Men for Others,” few have made their mark on the world with the authority and vision of Dennis J. FitzSimons, whose own journey from Queens — via the Bronx — to the heights of American media and civic life stands as an enduring testament to the values he learned from his family and deepened during his years at Hughes Hall.

Dennis FitzSimons was born in New York City in 1950, the son of Bernard FitzSimons, a Fordham University graduate and wine and liquor salesman, and Genevieve English Fitzsimons, a homemaker. He grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens, the youngest of four brothers, and followed Richard, Bernard, and Michael through St. Joan of Arc Grammar School.

When it came time for high school, Dennis made his way over the Triborough Bridge and up to the Bronx, arriving at Rose Hill in September of 1963. During his years at the Prep, “Fitz” played basketball and baseball, served as a Student Government officer, and was deeply involved with the Christian Action Program — a group dedicated to living out the Gospel imperative in real and practical ways to address the needs and concerns of the local community.

Graduating from Fordham Prep in 1967, Dennis continued on to Fordham University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1972 and briefly considered a career in law. After serving our country with the Army, however, Fitzsimons would rethink his trajectory and embark on a remarkable career that would take him from the world of advertising to the boardrooms of some of the most influential media institutions in the nation.

After early roles at Grey Advertising in New York, and later in sales and marketing at Viacom, Cox Broadcasting, and Blair Television, FitzSimons began a 25-year tenure with Tribune Company that would define his professional legacy. Rising through the broadcast division, he served as general manager of WGNO-TV in New Orleans and WGN-TV in Chicago before becoming president and CEO of Tribune Broadcasting. His insight into the industry and deep understanding of both journalism and business led to his appointment as Tribune’s executive vice president in 2000, its president and COO in 2001, and its CEO and chairman by 2004, as he guided one of America’s great media enterprises into the digital age. Throughout the media world, FitzSimons has always been known as much for his level-headed decisiveness as he is for his honesty, clarity, and gentlemanliness.

Along the way, this former member of the Prep’s Christian Action Program has remained deeply committed to the ethical dimensions of public
service and civic engagement. He chaired the Media Security and Reliability Council for the FCC, served on the board of The Associated Press, and later led Independent Maps — a bipartisan effort to bring redistricting reform to Illinois in the hopes of empowering voters and paving the way for real social change.

Moreover, FitzSimons’ commitment to education and community has remained constant throughout his life. A life trustee of Northwestern University and the Museum of Science and Industry, and a board member for organizations including the Big Shoulders Fund and The Off The Street Club, he has given generously of his time and talent to ensure opportunity for others.

Here at the Prep, Dennis helped launch the FitzSimons Civics Initiative, a program designed to enhance students’ understanding of American history and government so that they might leave Shea Hall ready to be informed and engaged citizens, capable of participating in civil dialogue.
Among the Initiative’s many fruits is the annual FitzSimons Civics Symposium, which has become a vital part of the Fordham Prep experience.

A devoted husband, and father, Dennis and his wife, Ann Christie FitzSimons — his partner in life and philanthropy since 1980 — have raised three children, Matthew, Christine, and Jeanne, with the same grounded values of hard work, responsibility, and generosity that have defined their public and private lives.

Over the years, Dennis’ professional excellence has been recognized with numerous honors. He has been named U.S. Broadcaster of the Year, received the American Horizon Award from the Media Institute, and the Good Samaritan Award from the NAB Education Foundation. He has continued to shape the media landscape as a director of major companies including Time Inc., Media General, and now Nexstar Media Group, where his steady leadership continues to guide one of the nation’s most influential broadcasting networks.

For his lifetime of achievement, his unwavering commitment to community and education, and his embodiment of Jesuit ideals and engaged citizenship, Fordham Prep is proud to welcome Dennis J. FitzSimons into the Hall of Honor — celebrating a life that has brought distinction to his profession, his family, and his alma mater.