Former Standard-Freeholder publisher Don Brander has died at 71

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Fond memories were shared among former colleagues and friends of former Standard-Freeholder publisher Don Brander this week when news came from The Charlottetown newspaper veteran died on June 9 at the age of 71.

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Brander served as editor and managing director of this publication for several years until he left the role in 1994. Multimedia journalist Todd Hambleton recalled being hired by Brander in 1991.

The positive spirit and milestones brought to the office under Brander’s leadership are well remembered. The Standard-Freeholder reached a daily print circulation of 20,000 when Brander was editor. At the time, the Standard-Freeholder was part of the Hollinger newspaper group, which also owned several newspapers in Atlantic Canada.

Former journalist Coun. Claude McIntosh said Brander and his successor Milton Ellis, who first took over as editor in 1994, were two of the best he ever had the pleasure of working for.

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“He was an absolute gentleman. Just a good person. A really, really good editor. He also had a good sense of humor — a dry sense of humor,” he said. “Don was never excited about anything. He seemed to be in control the whole time…I’ve considered him a friend over the years.”

McIntosh said Brander knew every department and was confident in his role, taking the time to ask new recruits for coffee when an opportunity presented itself in an effort to get to know them better.

“He took time for people. You walked away thinking he really cared about you and your family, and he was sincere, too,” McIntosh said.

Ellis said he met Brander when the two started within a week of each other in the traffic department at Charlottetown Guardian in the early 1970s. Ellis said Don had a successful 44-year career in the industry, working at a number of publications in various positions, including management positions in Pembroke, Ont., Georgetown, Ont., Toronto and Cornwall as well as in Kelowna, BC. , New Glasgow, NS and Halifax and in PEI With his heart always in PEI, Brander wanted to finish his career there. He retired in 2015.

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“Don was a great individual. Very family oriented, he cared deeply for his employees … he was always involved in the communities he worked in … well respected and well known by everyone in the industry,” Ellis said.

Peter Padbury was advertising manager in those days and said Brander was a great editor and person.

“He definitely helped me with my career … he was behind my success in the newspaper,” he said.

Longtime friend and neighbor Gilles Cardinal remembers looking out his kitchen window and seeing Brander lying on the ground in his backyard, where he had just fallen off the roof and broken his back and collarbone.

“Poor Don,” he said with a laugh, recalling driving Brander’s wife, Dianne, to Ottawa to see him in the hospital.

“He was a very, very nice neighbor and friend. He was a wonderful person. I’m sure the people who worked under him (would agree),” said Cardinal, still shocked by the news.

Brander is survived by his wife, Dianne, and his two daughters, Meaghan (Les Cooper) and Heidi, as well as his grandson, Henry. A celebration of life was held Thursday in Charlottetown, and the family has asked that any donations in Brander’s memory be made to the Upper House Hospitality Ministry.

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