Wick Allison
Encyclopedia
Wick Allison, birth name Lodowick Brodie Cobb Allison (born March 17, 1948), is an American magazine publisher and author. He currently is the owner of D Magazine
, a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth, which he co-founded in 1974, and the principal owner of People Newspapers
, which he purchased in 2003.
, and is a seventh-generation Texan. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
in 1971 with a degree in American Studies
. Upon graduation, he served in the White House
on the President's Commission on Campus Unrest
and subsequently joined the United States Army. He attended the Cox School of Business
at Southern Methodist University
, where he developed his business plan for D Magazine before dropping out
. Allison converted from Methodism
to Catholicism in 1978. In 1983, he married the former Christine Peterson and has four daughters. Allison and his wife had a child with developmental difficulties, which was discussed in a profile of Allison which was published by the Washington Post.
, a monthly magazine covering Dallas, in 1974, with backing from Dallas investor Ray Lee Hunt
. In 1981, he and a group of investors purchased Sport Magazine
, which they sold in 1984. He went on to found and publish Art & Antiques Magazine in 1984. In 1985, Allison was asked by William F. Buckley, Jr.
to join the board of directors of the National Review
, and in 1980 he became its publisher, succeeding William A. Rusher
. In 1981 or 1982 Allison sold his company Allison Publications, publisher of Art & Antiques. In 1993, he resigned as publisher of National Review. In 1985, he and investor Harlan Crow
repurchased D Magazine, and in 1991, Allison bought out Crow to become the magazine company's sole owner. In 1993, Allison edited a new edition of The Bible To Be Read As Living Literature, published by Simon & Schuster
. He is also the author of Is That In The Bible? (Dell
, 1992) and Condemned To Repeat It: History Lessons For Leaders (Viking Penguin, 1998).
entitled "A Conservative For Obama", in which he endorsed
then Senator Barack Obama
for President.
D Magazine
This article is about the magazine about Dallas. For the Italian magazine, see La Repubblica.D Magazine is a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth. It covers a range of topics including politics, business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. The first issue was published in...
, a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth, which he co-founded in 1974, and the principal owner of People Newspapers
People Newspapers
People Newspapers is a Dallas, Texas-based publisher of three weekly community newspapers, , , and .The publisher began in 1981 with , founded by Reid Slaughter and covering the Park Cities enclave of Highland Park and University Park...
, which he purchased in 2003.
Personal
Allison was born in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, and is a seventh-generation Texan. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 1971 with a degree in American Studies
American studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...
. Upon graduation, he served in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
on the President's Commission on Campus Unrest
President's Commission on Campus Unrest
On June 13, 1970, President Richard Nixon established the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, which became known as the Scranton Commission after its chairman, former Pennsylvania governor William Scranton....
and subsequently joined the United States Army. He attended the Cox School of Business
Cox School of Business
The Cox School of Business is a business school at Southern Methodist University offering a full range of business education programs.Degrees include , full-time Master of Business Administration , , , Master of Science in Management , Master of Science in Accounting , and a Master of Science in...
at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, where he developed his business plan for D Magazine before dropping out
Dropping out
Dropping out means leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves....
. Allison converted from Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
to Catholicism in 1978. In 1983, he married the former Christine Peterson and has four daughters. Allison and his wife had a child with developmental difficulties, which was discussed in a profile of Allison which was published by the Washington Post.
Magazine publishing
Allison co-founded D MagazineD Magazine
This article is about the magazine about Dallas. For the Italian magazine, see La Repubblica.D Magazine is a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth. It covers a range of topics including politics, business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. The first issue was published in...
, a monthly magazine covering Dallas, in 1974, with backing from Dallas investor Ray Lee Hunt
Ray Lee Hunt
Ray Lee Hunt inherited most of father H.L. Hunt's Hunt Oil Co. along with his three sisters. In 1982, Forbes magazine estimated Ray Hunt's family's total net worth to be $200 million. Ray made a huge oil find in Yemen in 1984. It took two years for Hunt, partnering with other companies, to lay a...
. In 1981, he and a group of investors purchased Sport Magazine
Sport magazine
SPORT magazine was an American sports magazine. Launched in September 1946 by the New York-based publisher, Macfadden Publications, SPORT pioneered the generous use of color photography – it carried eight full colour plates in its first edition – and almost immediately became half-bible, half-guru...
, which they sold in 1984. He went on to found and publish Art & Antiques Magazine in 1984. In 1985, Allison was asked by William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
to join the board of directors of the National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
, and in 1980 he became its publisher, succeeding William A. Rusher
William A. Rusher
William Allen Rusher was an American lawyer, author, activist, speaker, debater, and conservative syndicated columnist. He was one of the founders of the conservative movement and was one of its most prominent spokesmen for thirty years.- Early life :Rusher was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1923...
. In 1981 or 1982 Allison sold his company Allison Publications, publisher of Art & Antiques. In 1993, he resigned as publisher of National Review. In 1985, he and investor Harlan Crow
Harlan Crow
Harlan R. Crow is an American real estate magnate from Dallas, Texas. He is the third son of Trammell Crow and the head of Crow Holdings.Crow was born in Dallas the third son of Margaret and Trammel Crow and has four brothers and one sister. Unlike his siblings, he attended high school at the...
repurchased D Magazine, and in 1991, Allison bought out Crow to become the magazine company's sole owner. In 1993, Allison edited a new edition of The Bible To Be Read As Living Literature, published by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
. He is also the author of Is That In The Bible? (Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, 1992) and Condemned To Repeat It: History Lessons For Leaders (Viking Penguin, 1998).
Current Events
In September 2008, he published an article in D MagazineD Magazine
This article is about the magazine about Dallas. For the Italian magazine, see La Repubblica.D Magazine is a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth. It covers a range of topics including politics, business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. The first issue was published in...
entitled "A Conservative For Obama", in which he endorsed
Obama Republican
United States President Barack Obama, a member of the Democratic Party, was endorsed or supported by some members of the Republican Party and by some political figures holding conservative views in the 2008 election...
then Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for President.